Dreams
by witchhuntress
Summary: Mai is a geisha. Swept by the sea of unpredictability, she is torn between mirrored selves. Naru or Gene? NaruXMai or GeneXMai?
1. Silver Things

**A/N: This has been **_**partially**_** edited as of 2013. I have not finished editing the next two chapters too, but I will try to do so during my break. So, just a warning, parts of this chap and most of the next chapters will have a lot of grammatical errors. I am so sorry. English is just my...er 3rd language (now that I think about it [I have two native languages]), so even if I've learned it since I was young, I did not grow up immersed in any culture that uses it. Sorry *bows***

* * *

**Terms to explain beforehand and a little history ^_^:**

Geisha= professional hostesses trained of the arts (singing, dancing, playing instruments, flower arrangement, tea ceremony, and etc.). They are not prostitutes. Long ago there are prostitutes who claimed to be geisha girls (pronounced as geesha) to foreigners. That is why when tourists returned to their countries, they had a misunderstanding with the entertainers of Japan. One way that you can tell a prostitute from a geisha is that the former tie their obi (sash) in front. A geisha sells her art (as geisha is derived from Japanese terms that mean women and art).

Geiko= is a term for a full-fledged geisha in Kyoto. However, geisha and geiko are just the same. Geiko is another way of saying geisha. Geisha is the Tokyo dialect for geiko, on the other hand. But, the word geisha is more popular, so it has been made to be a universal word for geikos and geishas alike.

Maiko= an apprentice geisha who has to go training for 5-6 years.

Okiya= a house where geishas and maikos live. Some okiyas can also be tea houses, but usually it is only a place for living and learning geishas.

O-chaya= is a tea house where geishas gather. This is the place where geishas go during their appointments. The owner of these teahouses is the one who calls the okiya for geishas who are asked by the customers.

Pontocho= is a district in Kyoto. It is a place where there are many geisha houses and traditional tea houses.

Showa 21= 1946

Okobo=wooden slippers or clogs

Aniki= something you call an older brother with besides onii-san/chan/sama

Jinrikisha= a two-wheeled, human-drawn cart.

Susohiki= kimono worn by dancers

Oji-san= uncle

Ojou-chan= princess, my lady

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD ~nya~**

I had just gotten out of the bathhouse and decided to roam around a little on the streets of Pontocho district. Wearing a blue faille kimono that had metallic brocading of grasses, leaves, and ferns, I glanced at the sky.

It was nine months after the war━already Showa 21. The charred buildings had been gradually reconstructed, and the casualties had been mourned. Despite those grievances, Kyoto was still lucky to have minimal external damages than Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

_Moving on..._

It was a fine afternoon. The sky looked like it was about to rain. It was already spring, so it's no wonder. But, I didn't hurry to return to the okiya. Instead, I gazed around at the street carts and, in silent joy, came to buy some manju.

"Oji-san, can I have one please?" I said to the old brown-capped man who was frying them.

"Sure thing, beautiful miss." He smiled with his weathered face and placed my order in a small brown paper bag. "It's still hot, so be careful not to burn yourself."

His oily tanned hands bore scars of past scalds━so much history of battle just like the war our country waged.

"Thank you." I paid him and was about to resume walking when another man held my arm. I blinked in astonishment.

Usually, I had an umbrella with me to shoo men like him, but I forgot to bring it.

"Hey there, ojou-chan," the brawny man stated while staring at me so ill-intentionally. "Why don't we go to my place and eat that there, huh?"

Only my voice was my weapon.

Or not.

"Let me go!" I exclaimed as he gripped tighter. _Don't make me hurt you!_

I tried to shove my hand away.

He reeked of hard liquor, which was burning my nostrils with its sharp stench, so I wrinkled my nose.

"Heheheheh." He smirked at me and yelled to the old man vendor, "Oji-san, give me two!"

"Rather than having that with the beautiful lady, why don't you have it with me instead?" a mellifluous voice echoed, and I whipped my head around.

A young man holding an umbrella stood in front of us. He had a shiny black hair and enchanting blue eyes. He was wearing some white buttoned-up shirt and black pants. He seemed foreign with his blue gaze, but he spoke Japanese so fluently.

Hushed voices of the intrigued audience could be heard. The day was probably dull, so the small ruckus interested them.

"Why should I have it with you, eh, brat?" the man countered while swaying occasionally. "It won't taste as good as when I'll eat it with this fair lady!"

The man jerked my arm, and I yelped in pain.

_Why you━! _I growled inwardly. I was about to get my secret weapon when I saw the young man squinting his eyes and pointing the tip of the umbrella on the man's throat.

"If you won't let go of the young lady's hand, I'll assure you that I won't hold back." The young man sank the tip of the umbrella deeper into the man's throat. The man stepped back then while massaging his throat.

"What can you do with an umbrella anyway?!" the man croaked jauntily.

"Don't you know?" the young man questioned with a blank expression. "This is a new invention from England. It can emit fire if I push it open."

"Ha, who will believe that joke of yours?!" the man fired and lunged towards him. I shrieked as he aimed to punch the young man, but thankfully, the latter dodged it. The young man kicked the man's bottom, and the man fell head-first into a basket of potatoes. The people who saw it laughed, and the man staggered and toppled out of the basket.

Glaring at the lad, he spat, "Damn you━!"

The vendor, a tall heavyset woman, who owned the basket of potatoes he dove into, neared and glowered at him. "You've soiled my goods!"

"I-it's that boy who did!" the man responded while somehow cowering. The woman was holding a knife in her right hand; there was blood in them. It seemed like she just gutted a fish from a neighboring stall.

"You didn't care to dodge well. Now pay up!" She brandished the knife towards the intoxicated man.

"Wha━Who cares about your potatoes?!" The drunkard reddened more than he'd become already, got up, and ran away wildly in angered shame.

"He left, didn't he?" The young man winked at me, and I lifted a corner of my mouth.

"Thank you." I bowed gratefully while blushing.

_I could have saved myself...though._

"It's nothing." He scratched his head while shrugging. "I lied anyway."

I perked my head up. "Huh?"

He flung open his umbrella and held it over me. I didn't even feel the rain droplets falling, but I heard and saw it then while under the protection of the stranger's umbrella. The people who were walking ran to seek shelter.

"The umbrella," he explained with a sheepish yet playful smile. "It cannot emit fire."

I peered at him closely for a moment, and after staring at each other for a few seconds, we both snickered.

"What did you buy?" he asked with a tilt of his head while blinking at the brown paper bag in my hands.

"Oh, it's manju," I told him.

"**Mango**?" He scratched his head again, and I smiled at him. His English accent was new yet refreshing.

"No, it's man-ju," I emphasized the syllabification. "It's like a cake or bun, but it has fillings."

"Ehh? I've never eaten any of those," he gushed. "Japan has a lot of street foods unlike England."

"Did you really come from England?" I asked, agog, and he looked at me hesitantly.

I flushed again.

"I-I'm sorry for being nosy," I bowed.

When I glanced at him once more, he was grinning at me.

"It's not really being nosy," he returned. "I'm a stranger after all, so it's only natural to ask."

He approached the brown-capped man and bought a lot of manju. The vendor was bewildered at his fortune as the lad before him paid without asking for a change.

Cheerful, the man just boffed and commented, "You've quite the appetite, young sir!"

The young man nodded with a smile. "I'm still growing, kind sir."

In result to having all his manju sold out, the vendor pushed his cart homeward quite early that day.

My eyes wide, I stared at the young man. _He must be rich._..

"Are you going to eat all that?" I pointed at the two large brown bags he was holding.

He chuckled at my reaction. "No. I'm going to share these with the people in our house."

"I see…"

"I think I must escort you," he appealed to me. "It is raining. Your beautiful kimono might get wet, and you'll get sick."

I shook my head. "This is only a simple kimono."

"It isn't if you're wearing it," he commented, and I flushed into crimson again.

"You're flattering me too much," I replied.

I used to ignore young men on the streets. I'd encountered many, and all they did was brag about this and that. But, that particular young man had helped me, and I found it rude to reject his offer. He wasn't a braggart and showed some restraint in divulging things about himself (unlike those young men I'd met who, in just mere minutes, had already told me their whole life history as if I was a biographer). Nor did the young man tell me how much he would earn or how much he could spend for me if I would accompany him everyday.

"I'm just stating the truth," he responded, and I became scarlet at his warm smile. He told me to lead the way, and I motioned for him to walk straight on the sidewalk.

"I'm actually Japanese," he suddenly disclosed, and I gaped at him.

The young men I'd met, when they knew they look like foreigners, had always tried to deceive me that they were truly foreigners. That their parents came from this place full of ice or that they got separated when in a ship stopping at Japan...etcetera etcetera.

I could tell they were lying; I had been observing how foreigners speak ever since I saw one of them bring home an onee-san and noticed how I couldn't understand what those mixture of sounds they'd emitted meant while my onee-san did.

The young man beside me, though, was quite honest and happy to belong to a race.

"Really? Your eyes do not seem like you are one," I pointed out, puzzled.

If he didn't say anything, there would have been an awkward silence on my way home. I couldn't help but think that it might also be because I'd kept glancing sideways at him. His eyes were just so beautiful to look at, as though I was looking at the blue sea and miraculously just felt calm.

"I grew up in England," he went on. "My brother and I seemed to have foreign predecessors."

_Seemed? How come he's not sure?_ I peered at him eagerly.

"It's a long story." He shrugged, and I nictated. _Did he just answer what I had been thinking?_

"You're like reading my mind," I informed him, and he glimpsed at me.

"Do I?" He beamed.

I realized that we were already outside of the okiya. I then thanked him for accompanying me home.

" 'Kogiku okiya,' " he read the etching on the plate hovering the entrance. Afterwards, he blinked at me. "You're a geisha?"

"I'm still an apprentice," I told him.

"No wonder your beauty radiates so much," he complimented, and I turned scarlet afresh.

"I…I think I have to go," I reasoned, and he smiled at me.

"Okay." He jounced his head. "I hope we'll see each other again."

"Me too." I beamed sincerely, and I saw him blush for the first time.

"Yume, is that you?" I heard Okaa-san call from inside as I opened the gate.

"Ye-yes, Okaa-san," I returned, and before entering, I bowed to the young man once more.

I did not look back after that because his face was all in my head.

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD ~nya~**

Business returned as usual after the war. Okaa-san had insisted to remain in the okiya during the great struggle, so while we waited for the air raids to finally cease, we planted vegetables, donated anything that has iron to the government, and sold our kimonos for rice.

It was a good thing Okaa-san bred silkworms. If not, we would have wasted the time of war without anything to spin and weave for the future of the okiya.

Anyway, earlier that day, Okaa-san had informed me that I was expected to come to the Matomi o-chaya with Akira onee-san at 8 o'clock. So, I hurried to my room. A geisha would consume so much time applying make-up than dressing up. Besides that, the preparation of a geisha and maiko was different. Being just a maiko, I still couldn't memorize the whole process. Tatsu, okaa-san's helper, would usually assist me in putting make-up.

Okaa-san was actually a retired geisha. I didn't know other ways to call her except okaa-san because that's what my onee-san and other okiya inhabitants called her. Perhaps, all retired geishas were supposed to be called okaa-san especially when they owned an okiya.

Okaa-san was usually the one who chose the kimono I would wear. That night, she brought a cream-colored woven silk furisode (a type of kimono with long sleeves) with floral golden embroideries and pink cloud motifs. I first wore the flesh undergarment kimono, which was decorated with wild carnations and buck clover in red, aqua, and white; it had a white silk collar that matched the cream-colored kimono.

My long hair was tied up and fixed securely with ornaments and accessories. Looking at my hair, it seemed like a garland of sakura flowers. I sat in front of the mirror as Tatsu-san began to apply rice flour paste. Looking at my reflection after, if I were to omit the reddening on my face, I resembled a ghost. I couldn't help remembering the story of the snow ghost my grandfather once told me about at that moment.

After the make-up, a dangling beaded pink hairpin, as a last touch, was slipped in my hair before I donned the kimono okaa-san had chosen. I put on my slippers and moved out to meet Akira onee-san.

Akira onee-san was three years older than me. She had black hair and eyes. Her oval face was her best feature naturally because it's…errr oval. Anyway, she was my first friend in the okiya. When I was still doing household chores, she was the one who gave me candies even though I didn't do anything for her. I wasn't the only one who was doing the servant work at that time. There were a few others, and I was assigned to help another geisha. She was still a maiko back then. When I asked her why she was so kind to me, she said she reminded me of her younger sister.

The life in the okiya could be sad at times. Truthfully, most of us there were sold because of poverty. I had heard a lot of my onee-sans' stories to conclude that we were all in the same plane that's why we worked in a silent battle against the misery of our destiny.

Akira onee-san and I traversed a narrow alley to the o-chaya. The street lamps beside it were lit brightly, and I could see the figures of people on the windows of different restaurants and other tea houses. The hustle and bustle that could be heard that early night reverberated and disguised the tapping of my okobo on the stone steps.

Pontocho was one of the flower towns or geisha districts in Kyoto. At day, it might seem oblivious and rather unattractive with the crooked narrow pathways and oddly stuck-together buildings. But at night, dozens of colorful images would strike your eyes at different angles.

In relief, we stopped at the humble entrance of Matomi o-chaya. Gleeful noises emitted just above the anteroom where the reception's desk stood. Akira onee-san approached the owner of the o-chaya, Matomi herself, to ask about our room to be presented our company. The rather busty and plump owner led us into a spacious room then.

"There are a lot of foreign guests, so behave well and entertain them in a manner that they will never forget," Matomi whispered to us before we entered the room.

There were exactly eight people in the room. Four of them were Japanese. One of the Japanese people was a middle-aged man and was talking in English about the new constitution. His name was Kirio Tatsume, Akira onee-san's regular customer. Although I didn't know much about him, he seemed like an aristocratic person and enjoyed Akira onee-san's company simply because she would delight in his claims. On the other hand, the other three were geishas, and each were sitting and pouring sake beside a foreigner.

The party looked up when we walked into the room. Matomi-san introduced us and left when we settled down.

"**Akira and Yume, isn't it?"** Tatsume-san asked, and we replied a soft, **"Yes."**

"**My four companions here came from different countries and are inclined in machinery industry just like me," **Tatsume-san told us as he referred to the men on his side. He began to introduce them one by one.

"**This is Paul Stewart from New Zealand," **he gestured to a 30-something blonde man on his right who nodded at us.

"**Ossian Moloney from Ireland and Emrys Henry from Wales," **he referred to two men about the same age as him on his left.

"**And Martin Davis from England." **He gestured to the man on his farther right. The man named Martin smiled at us gently, and we felt obliged to smile back.

"**What about us, Tatsume-san? Have you forgotten about us already?" **one of the geishas, who arrived earlier than us, teased.

"**Ahh, my bad, my bad." **Tatsume-san scratched his head. **"My line of sight seems to be catching up with my age, huh?"**

We all laughed together. The other geishas looked older and were named Umi, Atsumi, and Kimiko. They were from an okiya not far from where Akira onee-san and I came from. When we were settled together, Tatsume-san rang the bell which indicated that he would order for dinner.

After ordering and while waiting for the food, Tatsume-san hurled the conversation to the changes that the new constitution brought about. He asked us about our opinions about women given the right to vote. To my astonishment, he started asking me because I was the youngest and the only maiko there. I glanced at Akira onee-san awkwardly because I was never questioned and imposed to speak before. She just smiled at me in silent encouragement.

I knew of course, that as an apprentice, that it would be a good experience for me, especially speaking in English. I had done well with my lessons, so I knew I was equipped with the right skills. I watched Tatsume-san and the others quietly. I cleared my throat and spoke slowly and calmly, wishing that my tongue wouldn't twist before me and that my accent would be passable like the young man I'd just met that afternoon, at least.

"**I think that as a would-be woman in the society..." **They laughed at my lousy joke, and I just beamed warmly. I knew I could do it. **"It is a wonderful opportunity for our voices to be heard after a long time of being restrained, due to the fact that our judgment does not count as worthy enough to be heard. I think that it will be a chance for us to be at par with men and obliterate the sexism that had secluded us during the past few years."**

I could feel my face heat up a little as they gazed at me. I couldn't help but feel shy under their thoughtful faces. There was a brief, pensive silence, and I couldn't help but bit my lip as I realized how anti-patriarchal I might have sounded...

"**That was an enlightening insight to come from such a young lady, indeed," **Davis-san remarked and beamed at me. I somehow felt at ease at what he said even though I still felt coy. It was like the sitting ghost that burdened my heart finally went off and sat on someone else's.

I bowed politely. **"Thank you."**

Tatsume-san agreed too and expressed his happiness to dine with geishas because of our renewed views and discretion. By the time he turned to ask Akira onee-san of her opinion, though, the dinner was served.

It was already a custom that after dinner, we geishas would perform our "art". Since I was still a maiko, I was accustomed to play the shamisen as my onee-sans dance. I could feel the enticement every time Akira onee-san, or any of the geishas that were present, would dance. The art of a geisha was truly captivating. I somehow wondered often if I could dance like my onee-sans.

_Mai, do you love to dance?_

I perked up a little while playing the shamisen and realized that my memories from long time ago had flitted in my head. I could remember how I usually walked to town with my little brothers and sisters. Out of poverty, I used to dance folk dances I had learnt from my grandmother just to be able to buy sweets for me and my siblings. My shoes were battered, and the pavement in town pierced my feet. But I could forget how hard everything was if I could drink handfuls of water from the town's fountain. It might have been that instance that gave my parents the idea to sell me off. _The talent, _they had murmured, _that may get them out of the pit_.

It might sound cruel or rude, but I understood them. I understood them so much that I had no objections. Though, it might seem like I was acting tough as the eldest, but I wanted to at least be strong for them.

_Do my letters reach them? _I had never forgotten them. Although, I knew that there's a probability it did not reach its destination, or they wouldn't write back to me. _I still keep my hopes up._

The dance ended, but the entertainment (mainly jokes and sake-pouring) with the guests went on. When we were finally thanked for the company and told to come again next time, I was completely worn out. Nights had always become like that. It was very ironic how, at day, poor people would wander the streets and work hard while, at night, rich people would spend their money at useless pleasure. It had always been that unfair.

Akira-onee-san went to the reception to inquire about how our payment would be passed to our okiya. Meanwhile, I stood a little sleepily and quietly as I waited for her.

"Excuse me, miss, do you know where tearoom 17 is?" a familiar voice nearby awoke my senses.

I perked up, and that's when I saw him again.

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

He wasn't bringing an umbrella, nor was he looking good-natured. He had a change of clothes because the last time I saw him, he was wearing a white shirt. Now, he had on a black one, and he resembled a phantom at night. He seemed to be smiling, but his eyes appeared impatient as he waited for my answer.

"I-I..." I stuttered. _What a split personality!_

He sighed. "I guess I''ll have to ask the reception instead."

"I-I'll take you there!" I exclaimed involuntarily, and he stared at me in a mixture of astonishment and amusement. _He probably doesn't recognize me with the make-up..._

When he had recovered, he smiled (still half-heartedly and coldly) and asked me to lead the way.

The room he was asking about was the room Akira-onee-san and I had gone out from a while ago. It wouldn't take long to guide him there.

Honestly, what was I thinking?_ Answering unconsciously! I should be careful especially when talking to strangers! To think that I've immediately trusted him just this afternoon! What mask he bears!_

The tearoom was open, so he went inside smoothly before I could say anything.

"Let's go home, Father," he said to the man, I could recall, was named Martin Davis.

_Father! _Realization struck me.

The man looked up and grinned at his son. "Did your mother ask you to fetch me?"

Ehh, I thought Davis-san didn't know Japanese!

The young man smirked. "She's angry that you didn't tell her that you would be meeting your friends. You only told Gene too."

"Oh, is that your son, Davis-san?" Tatsume-san asked, quite intoxicated, and ushered to Davis-san's son. "Come, come, join us handsome lad."

The young man ogled at him in silent disapproval. "I don't lush."

"Now, now, Tatsume-san, my son is still underage," Davis-san said.

"Father," the young man called impatiently.

"Alright, alright, I get it." Davis-san stood up. He then noticed me when he went out of the room.

"Oh, it's you a while ago," he spoke to me. "Thank you for that music you played before."

"Much obliged, Davis-san," I replied with a little bow.

"You're still so young," he commented. "Do you go to school?"

"I-I study arts," I responded shyly.

"I see," he nodded and added, "Have you left something?"

"Eh? Ah-no, I was─" I stammered. I was very sleepy, and my head wouldn't function normally.

"She led me here," the young man interrupted, fortunately, and said to me, "Thank you for that."

Not even a slight expression of gratitude! _Just like before wherein his eyes don't seem happy at all…_

"Y-you're welcome," I said dryly. _What made him into such a cold-hearted person?_

"My, my, I didn't know you have an interest in geishas, Oliver," Davis-san teased.

_Oliver? So that's his name._

"That's enough, Father," Oliver replied and strutted ahead.

Davis-san chuckled and winked at me. "That guy's like that when he's shy, so forgive him for being such an unsocial humbug."

"I-I don't mind." I smiled.

The man blinked, and I blushed. "I-Is there something wrong?"

"No." He shook his head. "It's just that you have a wonderful smile, young lady."

"Father," Oliver called again.

"I'm coming," Davis-san replied and quoth to me, "Nice meeting you, young lady. Hopefully, we'll meet again soon."

And so, they left. I returned to the reception in time and headed home silently with Akira-onee-san. She chatted on about what she would buy tomorrow since she would be shopping, but I just grinned at her enthusiastically. She asked me what I was going to buy, but I told her I didn't need anything somehow.

My thoughts were drifting somewhere, actually.

_School, huh? _I recalled what Davis-san had asked. _It would have been nice if I would be able to go to one where rich girls do. What do they teach there? It's probably not about how to entertain guests and the like, right? They're supposedly taught how to become a decent woman, unlike us geishas who are always labeled as rich men's mistresses._

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~(I'VE STOPPED EDITING HERE;SORRY T_T)**

The next day was Sunday, and, usually, tea houses would be closed for the day. It's actually because almost all customers would be at home. On the other hand, geishas would tend to enjoy their free time by roaming around the shopping districts or just spending their whole time in beautifying themselves.

I had planned to write a letter to my family and send it to the post office. I always did it during Sunday. Although, what I scribbled to them was just geisha nonsense. Also, I always slipped in a hefty sum inside. Though my parents gained money from selling me, I knew that it could not possibly be enough. To think that I'd just recently worked as a professional hostess, I doubted if I would be able to support them as much as I could. But, I felt happy that I could give something. More so that there was something that could connect me to them. Though, I knew money was not such a good connection to be made of.

Gladly, the morning wasn't bleak. The sun shone brightly, though the air was indeed damp. I held a bunch of cloth of my kimono as I traversed the wet cobblestones to the post office. The same peddlers and vendors met my sight. After sending my letter, I had decided to gaze at cherry blossoms at Gion; I would do this once in a while.

I crossed the bridge on Shijo street and stopped to stare at the lotuses on the side of the river. _It looks so beautiful... _I continued staring at it while sliding my left hand on the bridge's railing. I bumped someone in the process.

"Ah, it's you!" a cheery voice addressed me, and I lifted my head in great wonder.

_Will he be smiling?_

He was, and I could not help thinking that the man I saw yesterday was someone else who just looked like him. Or it could just be that my eyes were playing tricks on me.

"Who-who are you?" I spluttered and bit my lip. It was a careless thing, but I wanted to make sure. Many young men had tried to fool me. This young man might be nothing better than those before him, after all.

He had sensed my unease, so he scratched his head. "Ahh, I must have made you feel awkward, huh? I forgot I haven't given you my name yet. I'm Eugene. May I know what's yours?"

I hesitated, but, then, his smile was sincere and soothing. _Perhaps I have just mistaken who I saw yesterday…I was sleepy and my vision can sometimes be blurry or surreal..._

"I'm Ma─Y-Yume. Call me Yume." I shifted.

"I see," he beamed. "That's a wonderful name."

"Y-yours too." I nodded, a blush creeping on my cheeks.

"Ah, it's what my foster parents gave me."

"Foster parents?" I queried, bemused.

"Yeah, I'm an orphan," he admitted and added suddenly, "Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm going to look at the cherry blossoms," I replied.

"Would you mind if I join you?" he asked, and I turned erubescent.

How could someone so charming and beautiful be a cold-hearted guy who couldn't smile properly? If that was a mask then why did he look so sincere now? _Waahhh…_

Reddening incessantly, I involuntarily bobbed my head. We crossed the bridge together wordlessly, peregrinated the pavement lined with sakura trees on one side, and settled on a bench under a sakura tree. Afraid of proximity, I sat inches away from him.

He tilted his head.

"I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I must have frightened you by being so straightforward like this."

"I-I'm just not used to having someone along to view the cherry blossoms," I answered with a tiny laugh.

"Yeah, I know how it must have been." His eyes lingered faraway. "Working all these years and learning the greedy desires of men whom you serve under, you might have isolated yourself from people every time you're in the outside world. You must have unconsciously shielded yourself and preferred to be alone."

I nictated. _Why…does it seem like…why does it feel like…he could understand me? Why do I feel so much relief?_

"Yes, you're right..." I agreed, and it was his turn to gaze and blink at me. I chortlled at his expression. _Somehow, I feel comfortable…that…I may be able to trust him…after all..._

He grinned. "Yume, what would you do if you weren't a geisha?"

His question had put me to a stop, and my heart began beating fast unreasonably. _If I weren't a geisha…? Really…I've never thought of any possibility…_

I fell silent and placed a hand to my chest. _Really, what would I have done if I weren't a geisha? Who would I have become…?_

"I…I…school…" I muttered to myself, and I surveyed his bewildered eyes. "Girls at my age would probably be at school. So…I might have been learning with them."

He nodded with a pleasant smile. "Yeah, and you'll probably be one of the good students if you were. You'll be befriending them, talking to them, and giggling with them just like all the girls might have been doing despite circumstances."

"That would feel nice." I closed my eyes and smelled the scent of cherry blossoms wafting in the air.

We ate lunch at a restaurant near the lake at Shijo street. Then, we toured the street shops. He wasn't really that familiar yet of every nook and cranny of the streets in the district, but he surprised me sometimes with his knowledge of short cuts here and there.

I'd never spent my day off with such an amiable person. As time went by, I felt more at ease with him, and, soon, I had been thinking that he could be one of my friends from then on. I just felt so free as if I was not a geisha but an ordinary girl who'd routinely go shopping with her friends at weekends. Somehow, I could not even feel the slightest critical eye other women would have prepared for me if ever I passed by streets. It felt so good that I didn't want it to end.

"Is this how the world should feel…?" I murmured aloud unintentionally.

"What did you say?" Eugene asked, and I flushed crimson. "Ah, sorry. Am I embarrassing you? But, I haven't heard anything so don't you worry."

We were currently inside a shop that sold tea cups. He was busy looking over the designs and contemplating.

"Are you going to buy a set?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah," he answered. "It's for a girl who likes my idiot scientist of a brother."

"Idiot scientist?" Puzzled, I tilted my head to the side.

"Ah, I was blabbering to myself," he lifted a corner of his mouth. "My brother loves to do research and read a lot, so I call him an idiot scientist. There's this girl who really likes him but whom he completely ignores. That girl's birthday is near, so she invited us to her house. The problem is that my brother is quite snobbish. I think that she probably wants to receive even just a present from my brother. You know, one that she would want to cherish."

"But you see, my brother always keeps to himself," he carried on. "He's such a problematic person indeed. That's why, I had volunteered in choosing her a present and planned to have my brother to be the one to give it to her."

"Has he even noticed her feelings?" I inquired, thinking of my siblings back home.

"Well, perhaps he did but just kept quiet about it," he winked at me. "That's probably why my father teases him as a shy boy."

We both snickered.

"Ah, I know," he gazed at me. "Why don't you choose the design for me? Since you're a geisha, you'll probably know what designs other girls would like in their tea cups."

"I-I'll try," I said reluctantly.

It took me a while to choose. There were a lot of beautiful tea cups in the shop. But in the end, I chose yellow-colored tea cups with small blue hydrangeas painted on them. Eugene took the set and asked the shop boy to wrap it with decorated paper. I told Okaa-san before leaving that I would be going home early. So, I told him that I should go home after the next stop.

"Hmm, I'll buy you something as gratitude for picking up the tea cups for me," he suggested, and I shook my head.

"You saved me yesterday, so I guess we're just even," I reminded him.

He made a face like a pouting child. "That was different, though."

"I should be thanking you, instead," I said to him wholeheartedly. "I enjoyed my day off because of your company."

"That's really great to hear, then."

He brought me home just like yesterday, and he conversed about England and various experiences with his brother.

_They're really close, huh? Though…by the looks of it, he keeps on teasing him. I wonder how he looks like…_

"Perhaps, I should go with my father when he goes to a tea house here," he told me. "And I'll tell him to call for you."

I blushed. "You don't have to do that."

He laughed. "You're so red and so cute, Yume."

I blushed further. "And you don't even get embarrassed at all."

He simpered. "You finally feel relaxed."

I nictitated.

We arrived at the gate of the okiya and bid each other goodbye. He waved at me, and I waved back before entering the gate. Then, I was blushing furiously when I observed that he was still ogling at me even though I turned my back.

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

Eugene halted waving and faced the light post near him.

"How long have you been following us, idiot scientist?" he said to the person hiding in the light post's shadow.

"Ever since I spotted you somewhere in a tea shop, lady killer," the person replied, and when he came to view, he actually bore the same face as the one facing him. However, unlike Eugene, he was smirking.

"Ahh, I would have chosen to hear you call me 'aniki', Noll," Eugene chided.

"Don't mess with me, Gene," Noll warned. "I was just asked by mother to come here and get you. She says we are needed to prepare for a new person at home."

"New person?" Gene looked interested. "Did she reveal who it is?"

"She didn't say anything, but she looks so happy." Noll sighed. "Yesterday, it was father, and now I'm fetching you. Honestly, you two should stop moving away from the house for once."

"Ahh, you sound like you are my older brother." Gene chuckled, and Noll just loured at him.

"Whatever," Noll said under his breath. "If you're going to continue roaming around then, fine with me. But, I won't come and fetch you next time."

"Ahh, don't be like that, Noll-chan."

Noll glared, and Gene raised his hands high in level with his head as if in surrender.

_He's really fun to tease, _Eugene thought playfully.

* * *

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"I'm…sold?" I gaped at Okaa-san as she smoked her pipe.

"Yes, you're sold." Okaa-san nodded and waved her pipe at me. "You should be happy. A foreigner bought you a while ago. He paid a very high price, so I cannot object. Though you've been earning well, you were just starting out, so your pay from the appointments weren't enough yet to cover your art studies and other fees. I don't know why he bought you or how he knew you, but I could say you're lucky."

_Lucky? A foreigner bought me? _Horror struck me. _What if he's an old man, and he wants me to marry him? No way! I cannot agree with that! O-or what if he's going to turn me into a slave or something like that? What should I do? Should I run away?_

"Don't worry," Okaa-san assured, flicking her pipe at me. "He seems decent, so you wouldn't have to work anymore."

_That's not very assuring!_

"He will come back tomorrow morning to take you to his house," Okaa-san informed. "Be nice to him, and show him your deepest gratitude for his patronage. You do, after all, now owe him your life."

The shoji door slid open, and Akira onee-san peeked in. "Okaa-san, you called for me?"

"Yes." Okaa-san formed a ring of smoke with her pipe. "Help Yume pack up her things."

"Yes, Okaa-san," Akira onee-san responded and took my hand. I was led out of the room, and when we were inside my room, she hugged me.

"Honestly, I was worried about you, you know!" she gushed. "And then I just heard from our sisters that you were sold! How do you feel after hearing from Okaa-san?"

"I-I don't know what to do…" I muttered in shock. "Onee-san, what if the man who bought me is cruel or something? Should I run away before anything happens?"

"Keep a hold of yourself, Yume," onee-san told me, and I nodded obediently. "If you run away then, you're just staking your life. Don't be a coward and face that man, whoever he is! Alright, I'll teach you some techniques if ever he does something you don't like. In that way, you'll know what to do."

I jounced my head as she dictated to me her 'so-called techniques.' I couldn't help but feel desperate.

After about an hour or so of listening and bobbing heads...

"Got it all? Alright, you're set! Now, we should start packing your things or else Okaa-san will scold us both! Especially when your escort has arrived, and you still haven't prepared..." she frowned, and I followed her.

I could not help crying while I packed my rather few possessions. Most were gifts from people who appointed me before. I'd never used them, but they were the first gifts I'd ever received; so, I held them dearly. Akira onee-san soon could not contain it too, so she was also moved to tears. I'd told her to sleep in my room that night, and she obliged. We spoke of endless stories to one another, laughed, cried, and laughed again.

"Akira onee-san…" I called out.

"Hmm?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Will everything be really alright tomorrow?" I queried.

She messed my hair up, and I yelped.

"Of course everything will be alright." She smiled. "If it's you, Kami-sama will definitely be at your side always."

"I guess…you're right…" I yawned, and she teased me for having a wide mouth while yawning. We sniggered for the last time, and soon enough, the day weighed me down and drifted me off to sleep.

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

Akira onee-san's voice woke me up. The sun had not risen yet when I had set my eyes on the sky. I had forgotten for a few seconds that it would be my last day staying in the okiya. It excited me and, at the same time, scared me. I could not imagine how I would live not as a geisha. I was trained, ever since childhood, the ways of a professional hostess. I didn't know what I would become besides a geisha right then. I hadn't realized until then that the arts of a geisha had already been deeply ingrained in my state of mind.

I dressed up into a humble kimono, wore my hair down, and ate breakfast with Akira onee-san for the last time. My geisha sisters kissed my cheeks with whispers of soft farewells. I thanked them all for their greetings. Then, Okaa-san called me into her room and gave me her blessing.

"Have you finished packing your things?" she asked.

"Yes, okaa-san."

"You might be wondering why I called you here," she started. "Now, every geisha who steps out of this okiya and faces their new life is always given something as a token of their service to the okiya."

I jounced my head in silence.

"You've done well up to now," Okaa-san commented. "Though, it's a pity that you have not become a full-fledged geisha yet. It's really very surprising for a maiko to be sold immediately."

She scrutinized me, and I shifted in my seat a little.

"Do not forget what you have learned from this okiya no matter how meager they are," Okaa-san reminded. "They might be the only knowledge that could support you in your new life. Also, do not be ashamed of telling people that you were a geisha. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"You should not forget that a geisha who denies her profession as a geisha─?" Okaa-san raised her eyebrow at me so I would continue for her.

"Is lower than a prostitute who claims herself as a geisha," I recited, and Okaa-san beamed.

She clapped her hands. "That's my girl. That's what a geisha is raised from this okiya. Now, I'll give you your farewell gift."

She handed me a golden-colored box and ushered me to open it. It was a blue and yellow susohiki. I gawked at it unbelievably. Okaa-san nodded at me approvingly.

"Your mother told me that you have very good dancing skills, so I thought of handing you a garment that would label you as one."

I began to be emotional, but Okaa-san shoved me off.

"Don't go crying to me with such superficial things," she groaned, and I smiled sheepishly instead. "Now, off you go. Your ride will be coming soon."

"Yes, okaa-san," I answered and bowed in dogeza. "Thank you for taking care of me and goodbye."

"You're welcome," she inclined her head. "And goodbye."

I straightened and slid the shoji door open, but Okaa-san called to me once more. I turned curiously.

"Don't forget to write to us whatever happens," she stated. "At least give this old woman (me) some joy for bringing you up."

"I will, okaa-san."

I then strode off.

Like my parents, I wanted to trust her too. I wanted to trust her that she wouldn't sell me to perilous hands.

"Your ride has come, and I've never seen anything like it!" Akira onee-san, who had joined me when I got out of okaa-san's room, whispered to me in awe, "The foreigner who bought you is waiting at the sitting room. It looks like okaa-san told him to wait there."

It was strange to be treated like an item that's sold off. But, it wasn't something new.

"How old is he?" I asked, sweat-dropping.

"Very old," she told me sincerely, and I gulped. _What should I do?_

I got my things and wobbly proceeded to the sitting room.

My jaw dropped.

Almost.

He stood up at the sight of me, and, still speechless, I closed my mouth immediately.

_Why Mr. Martin Davis?_

* * *

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The first movement I made after the shock was swishing my head around in case the expressionless Eugene-look-a-like was hiding somewhere and might just pounce on me with his cold eyes. Davis-san seemed to have guessed what I was doing, and he said exactly what I was most afraid of thereafter.

"Ahh, I didn't bring Oliver with me," he informed, and I blushed in embarrassment.

"Oliver?" Akira onee-san echoed and turned to me. "Who's Oliver?"

"He's─"

"He's my son," Davis-san answered for me. "The young lady had met him just yesterday."

Akira onee-san's eyes shone as it dawned upon her. They twinkled like diamonds, and I could almost tell the inner laughing and teasing she was making inside her mind.

A man in a weird black suit entered the sitting room. He had brown eyes and slightly long light brown hair, which was tied in a loose ponytail. He's probably in his 20s by the looks of it. Akira onee-san, to my terror, almost swooned at the sight of him. _Honestly…_

"Sir, it's already time," the man said to Davis-san, and the latter nodded.

Davis-san gazed at me, and I fidgeted a little. "Young lady, it is time to go. Takigawa will take your baggage."

I nodded shyly and handed it to the man named Takigawa. I motioned to follow when onee-san halted me.

"Listen, Yume─no─Mai," she corrected herself, and I felt happy to be called again by my real name. "Write to me too, okay? Eat well there , and take care of yourself. That man seems safe, and from what I have heard of this son of his called Oliver─"

"Onee-san." I rolled my eyes.

"No, seriously Mai," she ranted. "I think that you're safe with him since if he already has a son, he probably might still have a wife! So, you won't be any man's mistress or anything. Now, you don't have anything to worry about anymore, okay?"

I nodded (I sort of gotten dizzy a little from all the nodding) and beamed. "I will, and I have to say that you sound like a doting mother with your first two sentences."

"Thanks for your wonderful and last compliment," she said wryly, and I boffed. We hugged for the last time and said our lengthy goodbyes.

I went outside and realized that my ride was indeed something I had never seen before. Unlike the jinrikisha wherein a human would pull the cart, my ride had four horses and four wheels. The thing to be pulled also, unlike the jinrikisha, had a seat in front where Takigawa-san currently sat. It was like a closed chamber and much bigger than the cart of jinrikisha. Also, it's much more spacious since about six people could fit into it.

Takigawa-san went down from his seat to assist me. Agog, I took his offered hand, leaned on it as I climbed up, and sat down on a lush material inside. Takigawa-san closed the chamber, and I saw him scuttle to the front through a glass window on the door. Before long, I felt the chamber move, and I gripped my kimono to calm myself. Davis-san, who sat opposite me, smiled warmly.

"Have you not ridden a coach before, young lady?" he queried affably.

"This is my first time seeing one and sitting inside one," I admitted coyly.

"It would be a good new experience then," he said to me, and I conceded wordlessly.

We were quiet for a few seconds.

Then...

"Young lady, what is your real name?" Davis-san inquired. "I think it'll be rude if I just call you young lady."

I hesitated but pondered briskly. I would be living with him now...

"I'm Y─Mai, Mai Taniyama," I disclosed. After all, I did owe him my life right now.

"It's very nice to meet you then, Mai," Davis-san quoth. "From now on, I'll be your foster father."

My jaw had never dropped open as wide as that particular instance.

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

My jaw continued to stretch as I went down the coach. The ride wasn't really long, but it was enough for me to want to come down to fresh ground. The house was actually quite isolated from the others.

And the house was not just a house at all.

_It's a Japanese castle!_

I was so awestruck. The walls were painted white, and the tiled roofs were spread beautifully in curve-ended, base-opened triangles. Davis-san told me that it's just 3-story high, but to my vision, it's so broad. He also told me about the moat at the back of the castle, the vast garden, and many more wonders about the place.

_How did he buy this castle? And for only three people?_

Well, it was silly of me to question his fortune—more so the number of people there. There were servants all over the place. The first time I entered the castle, there were people greeting both of us and asking for our luggage (well, just mine actually), and there were others who were walking here and there in mindful haste.

I was guided into an elegant dining room. Somehow, though the castle appeared Japanese outside, the inside furniture and interior design were mostly European and alien to me. There were timbers on the ceiling and a 'chandelier' high up. In the middle of the dining room was a round table laden with food.

I had counted five chairs. _Who's the fifth?_

"Mai," Davis-san ushered me, and I came in contact with stunning emerald eyes; I blinked momentarily. "This is my wife, Luella. She will be your new mother."

The woman before me had a copper brown hair that showed small streaks of white. Her hair was shoulder-length, and it curled in the ends, framing her heart-shaped face. She beamed at me, and I returned her smile. Subsequently, I bowed to her.

"I'm Mai Taniyama, and I'm very grateful to be under your care from now on," I greeted.

"My, Martin, she's a very lovely and respectful girl," Luella uttered, and I felt glad. "Dear, can you come over here?"

I approached her, and she held my hands.

"I've always been longing for a daughter, and I'm so happy Martin came across you, dear," she told me delightedly while caressing my cheeks.

Unable to think of a suitable expression to show them my glee, I smiled sheepishly.

Nodding approvingly, Davis-san ordered to another woman behind him, "Priscilla, call the young masters─"

"We're here, father," an all-too familiar cheerful voice reached my ears, and I whipped around without thought.

He caught my eye, and he stopped, astounded. "Yume?"

"Eu─"

Just then, another person strode into the dining room, and I let out a gasp. My hand flew to my mouth swiftly, and I turned from one Eugene to another. Or rather, now to my stupid late realization: I turned from Eugene to Oliver.

* * *

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

"Ehh, so you three knew each other?" Luella-san was amazed. "From what I heard from Martin, Noll, you met her at the tea house."

"Yes," Oliver answered, looking quite annoyed and disinterested at the same time as he ate his 'brunch' (as they called it).

"And from what I heard from Gene, he met her while he was walking around," she went on. "Hmmm, it's really impressive how coincidence works."

_Ehh, so their nicknames are Gene and Noll._ I stared at the plate before me and bit my lip. It's not that I didn't want to eat. It's just that I didn't know what to use from those silver things lined up beside my plate.

"Don't you just smell some competition, Martin dear?" Luella asked her husband.

"It really does," Martin agreed and noticed me, unfortunately, staring at my plate. "Is there something wrong, Mai?"

The sound of scraping plate stopped, and my breath was held in their curious faces. I felt so giddy all of a sudden.

"What is it, dear?" Luella inquired soothingly, and I somehow broke off from my faint dizziness and turned on a very sheepish mode.

"Err…may I use chopsticks?" I asked impulsively and soon regretted it.

All heads turned. Even the servants whirled my way as if I was nuts. My face, I think, did not become sinopia thankfully. Instead, I began sweating profusely and, quite contrary, became pale, which was, I must say, worse than ever.

_Oh please, spare me from this torture, you Westernized people…_

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDDXDXD~nya~**

* * *

**A/N: How was that? How was that? **

**P.S. nth edition...^^**


	2. Explosion

**A/N: Terms beforehand;**

Miso soup=this soup is like a staple food in a Japanese meal. It can be eaten during breakfast, act as an appetizer, a stand-alone soup course, or a full entrée. It's actually made of miso paste which consists of grain and other ingredients (either brown rice, sea salt, white rice, barley, or ginger) fermented with soybeans.

Udon=white and the thickest noodles made of kneaded wheat flour, salt, and water. They can be eaten hot or cold (usage varies with temperature or season).

Ramen=a noodle soup whose name vary with its soup base (which broth, sauce, etc.)

Soba=native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour and wheat flour. It tastes best when freshly made by hand from flour and water.

Hortobágyi palacsinta=is a kind of Hungarian pancake filled with veal.

Gulyás=is a Hungarian food that is made of stewed meat and vegetables.

Pálinka=a strong liquor distilled from apricots.

Shamisen=three-stringed instrument

Tatami mat=traditional form of Japanese floor covering

Futon=traditional Japanese bedding made of padded mattresses that can be folded and stored when not in use.

Kotatsu=traditional Japanese table that is linked to the familial nature of a Japanese home. It's usually built-in with a heater and has a blanket over it to trap heat.

Kami-sama= God

Shoji door=sliding door that consists of wood screen and special paper

**

* * *

Review**

"What is it, dear?" Luella inquired soothingly and I somehow broke off from my faint dizziness and turned on a very sheepish mode.

"Err…may I use chopsticks?" I asked impulsively and soon regretted it.

All heads turned. Even the servants turned my way as if I'm nuts. My face, I think, did not turn red thankfully. Instead, I began sweating profusely and quite contrary, turned pale. Which is, I must say, is worst than ever.

_Oh please, spare me from this torture, you Westernized people…_

**End of Review**

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

There was like infinite silence and my legs got wobbly by the second. I bit my lip. _I guess I shouldn't have spoken…_

"Ah!" Gene exclaimed and the attention was brought to him. He winked at me and said to the maids, "Me too. I want to use chopsticks!"

The servants were like enlightened from their reverie and soon bustled as fast as they could like they're having a contest as to who will be the first to get the chopsticks. Luella and Martin smiled at me. They also ordered to have chopsticks to make me feel more welcome. Only one person does not seem to care though.

"Won't you eat using chopsticks like us, Noll-chan?" Gene asked his brother playfully.

Noll glared at him. "No, thank you."

"Ahh, come on," Gene drawled and began picking at his chopsticks in the air (I think those maids will win in a marathon). "It's fun to use once in a while and it's like you have pincers."

I somehow felt at ease due to Gene's help and could not help but laugh as Gene demonstrated 'pincer-ing' at Noll. _They're so close…_

But then, I laughed too hard. And when I laugh hard…it's never good. That's because when I laugh hard instinctively, I am _**very **_unstoppable. I usually hide this side of myself; the side that is very boisterous and uncontrollable. My unreserved self, as Obaa-san from the okiya once told me. That's because I laugh like…

"Hahahahah *oink* *oink* hahahahaha!!" I was so red in the face and I made it all the reason more than ever for them to stare wide at me.

"S-sorry..." I stopped myself abruptly as I saw their widening eyes at my crazy outburst and got so red that I cannot look at them ever again. An after-snort erupted and I covered my mouth immediately. I bowed my head in shame, noticing what I have done.

But they suddenly laughed, except Noll, who smirked but amusement was in his eyes.

"You've got such a sweet and cute laugh, Mai," Gene pointed out and I blushed.

"T-thanks…" Though, I'm not sure if that's supposed to be complimented.

"It's true, dear," Luella told me as she held my hand, beaming, dabbing her napkin at the corners of her eyes with a light mirthful blush on her cheeks. I felt at ease a little, flattered. _If you say so..._

I shrugged, reddening as I nodded shyly.

"It's one of a kind," I heard Noll simper and I glanced at him. There was a hint of sarcasm on his voice and I cannot help but feel insulted. I pouted at him and he raised his eyebrow. _Calm down, Mai…It's all about the first impressions…Maybe he doesn't really mean anything with it…That's probably just how he responds to anyone normally…_

There were no questions raised about me and where I came from. I found it strange since I had expected they have conjured some before I arrived. I had even rehearsed during the trip to the residence the answers I'll give to possible queries. However, on the contrary, I was met with a pervading silence as the next course started.

The silence helped though. While everyone's concentrating on their meal, I decided to have a good look of the dining area. The walls were actually covered by pale orange wallpapers with designs of the orange fruits themselves. The wall across me has a painting of a European woman that has no eyebrows. Further left of the painting is the door to the kitchen where servants bustle in and out. On the sides were tables with drawers, candelabras and vases resting on their surface. It seems like the only dining place that I wondered where the servants eat.

The round cherry-wood table was laden with food I've never seen before. There was no simple miso soup I usually ate. Neither was there udon nor ramen nor soba. It was all foreign foods to me. Every time there's a new dish coming, a man of about his 60s, wearing a black suit and a bald patch on his head, always announces the name of the food before it is served. I secretly memorized the names and the images of the food in any case I might be questioned what they are in the future.

Aside from using chopsticks, I emulated what Gene used during the meal. The first dish as I'd heard was a _**caviar appetizer**_. I don't know what it was but it tasted so good that I don't know what to say. Next was a tossed salad with plum tomatoes and green peppers coupled with a cream of asparagus soup. Then came a lot of dishes as if they overflowed. There was meat loaf, _**hortobágyi palacsinta**_, mutton, potato and salami dish, _**gulyás**_, skewers of chicken, cucumber-and-yogurt mixture, a large dish of perfectly arranged jumbo shrimp on a bed of lettuce, cold potatoes, asparagus spears, a mixed salad of baby field greens and walnuts sprinkled with feta cheese in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing, and roasted quails with wild rice and baby vegetables.

Just like any other person who wants to taste all, I made sure to eat a bit of everything. But they were too many and when I really liked one dish, I somehow had the tendency to get more of it; thereby, causing me to eat more of everything than I planned to.

As I was enjoying the orange sorbet with _**naranća**_, an orange drink they said is from Hungary, Luella addressed to me as she sipped her _**pálinka**_.

"How old are you, dear?" she asked excitedly.

"I-I'm sixteen," I answered as I scooped the cold sorbet with what they call as 'teaspoon.' _Good thing it was already in the glass where the sorbet is placed…_

"You're a year younger than Noll and Gene, then," she quipped happily. "Isn't that _**lovely**_, boys?"

Gene smiled and Noll just nodded in boredom. I was amazed with how fluent my new parents are of my native language that I asked Gene. He'd said that Luella and Martin have learned to speak the language since he and Noll were children in order to understand and communicate to them both. From the looks of it, at least to what I have been able to decipher, Gene and Noll were borne originally in Japan from true Japanese parents but were sent to an orphanage at an early age.

_So that's what he meant by 'seemed' the first time we met…I wonder…if I was brought to an orphanage…where would I be now?_

I was out of my reverie when Luella asked me a question again.

"Do you love flowers, dear?" she asked cheerfully.

I smiled. "Yes, I do."

"What's your favorite flower?" Gene asked, intrigued.

"Water lilies," I replied, jolly.

"There were no water lilies from where you came from," Noll commented wryly and Luella gave him a glare in which he just shrugged. "At least, I haven't seen any around."

There came again my babbling mode.

"Well, you see, when I was a child, my brothers and I used to go to this big pond to fish and it's so beautiful with all the water lilies surrounding it every spring. There are swans too and they just look so beautiful with the landscape. The water lilies were always vibrant and they look so wonderful during sunrise or sunset that I can't help but just love them and take home some of them every day," I blabbed, flushing with reminiscent joy.

They stared at me again and I bit my lip. _Ack…there went my loquacious mouth…_

But then, Luella, Martin, and Gene smiled at me and I was soon relieved that they don't mind my folly.

"I'm glad you have had a mirthful childhood, Mai," Martin chided.

"Y-yes," I said shyly. I don't know what to call my new parents yet since it's all too awkward at the moment. I resorted to not call them anything though.

Somehow, if not for Gene's encouraging smile, I wouldn't have had any confidence to face them and their questions.

_I'm glad I met him…_

However, one thing that makes me anxious is the penetrating look Gene's twin has on me. Every time our eyes meet, it's always the usual icy stare that he gives me.

_Was he conditioned that way? Or do I have something on my face that he dislikes?_

I put a hand on my face in any case there's a strange patch of food or dirt. I furrowed my eyebrows. Not to be conceited or anything, my face was smooth and doesn't have any stray matter on it. I frowned.

_Does he simply dislike me??_

"What's wrong, Mai?" Gene asked worriedly and I shook my head in assurance.

_Don't worry, Mai! There's time for getting to know each and everyone!!_

We were already on our last meal (informed in courtesy of the old bald man) and my obi wants to loosen out of its tight wrap. Really, I could never imagine that European people eat a lot! (Not to ridicule them or anything though) I've never eaten such a bountiful meal really. Back in Matsue and in the okiya, we've always had one course for a meal and it's always just enough to fill us (we actually don't consume everything of what we eat since it has been a rule to 'eat wherein your stomach is filled but still have space for food').

I'm just glad I don't feel like vomiting though and I have to admit that I did enjoy tasting the unfamiliar dishes. I have heard from my other sisters who were taken out by foreigners how classy the restaurant food they ate were. I now understand what they meant.

Luckily, there was peppermint tea served after and I have somehow relaxed from the full-belly strain.

"Ahhh, I'd never had so much fun in brunch before," Gene commented as we sat on the so-called sitting room while drinking tea.

Martin nodded. "Indeed, it has become livelier now that we have an addition to our family."

"Would you like to see your room now, dear?" Luella asked me and I nodded shyly again.

"Yes…" We both stood up.

"Call me mother, dear," she told me and I blushed.

"M-mother…"

"Try calling me onii-chan too!" Gene grinned enthusiastically and I blushed harder.

"O-onii-chan…" I reddened and Gene blinked.

His eyes shone in satisfaction and he stood up and hugged me while patting my head. I reddened more than ever. I was never in close proximity with a guy before but if I push him away, it would look very rude.

"Come on, Noll, join in the group hug," Gene invited his brother. "We have a sister to protect now!"

Noll squinted his eyes. "Aren't you hugging her quite uncharacteristically for a brother?"

"Ahh, don't be jealous, Noll," Gene teased. "I hug you like this too when you're asleep."

My jaw dropped. _When asleep??! _Their parents laughed.

Gene winked at me again. He whispered, "It's our secret but he gets really clingy when he's asleep and I feel that I must hug him all the time. He's so helpless!"

"I heard that, lady killer," Noll fired.

"Oh, sorry I forgot you got superhearing, idiot scientist!" Gene moved away from me and ran away.

I blinked at his back in wonder. I heard a sigh which I realized came from Noll. Our eyes met and I instinctively blushed. They look so identical…If not for the clear expression of seriousness...

"Don't let him infect you with his pranks," he warned and strode off the dining room.

I nictitated.

"Well, shall we get going, dear?" Luella ushered.

"Y-yes, mother," I replied shyly.

Her eyes twinkled like pearls at the sound of my voice. I suddenly remembered how it felt to have someone you can truly call as your mother again.

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

Back in my hometown, I could never have dreamt that a farm girl like me would grow up to live in such a luxurious home. I've never seen a Westernized room before, more so a Princess' lair of a Westernized room!! To think that not even a Japanese princess has ever slept unto something fluffy, smooth, and springy than the traditional futons way back in the earlier eras!!!

The brass-made furniture I will be sleeping on was called "bed" and the roof overhead with curtains on the side were called "canopy" by Luella. There are bright plume and pink "tapestries" on the wall of the room, rich interwoven carpets arranged in a creative pattern enliven the floor, and there are these glass flipping windows instead of the sliding paper ones I usually see. The wonderful mix of colors dazzled me and I'd asked myself if that was a dream granted by my wishful thinking. My rooms back at my hometown and at the okiya were very plain compared to that room I was in.

The bed was draped with a pink paisley duvet, its tri-colored and layered bed skirt coming into view. Yellow ticking striped sheets nestle beneath the duvet and on the space for the head, striped blue and white, rich gypsy paisley, lilac, and peony boudoir pillows were stuffed. On the end of the bed is a lime-colored settle with a foam and celery ruffled Euro shams on the seat and a chest underneath it. Beside the bed, on the right, rests a pink tea table with a lily medium white table lamp covered with an hourglass pink silk lamp shade. On the farther right of the tea table was a pink bachelor's chest and hutch. Further right is a white seven-drawer double dresser with a landscape mirror, the dresser's surface garbed with another lamp and a vase with white lilies. Beyond the dresser lie pink bookshelves, white-painted one-door armoire, three-drawer nightstand, maple-colored study desk, a fireplace, a royal blue-cushioned chaise lounge, and a cream-colored closet. On the bed's left corner, a door stood ajar, leading to a personal lavatory that I've never seen designed like it before. The walls were lined with antique white-rose single sconces. The rest of the walls that were not covered with tapestries were painted light yellow. Two Bailey chandeliers hung left and right on the ceiling of the room too.

These were all explained to me by my foster mother with such delight. The room was truly marvelous that it emanated a brilliant glow and a gushy feeling.

_To live in such grandeur…do I even deserve this treatment…Kami-sama?_

"Do you like it?" my new mother asked anxiously.

"It's so beautiful," I said open-mouthed and breathless.

Luella smiled. "This is my most favorite room that I designed."

"Y-you designed this room?" I asked, astounded. "Wow...it's so beautiful."

"I was thinking...that if I have a daughter, what kind of room would she like the best?" Luella said thoughtfully. "And I just thought that she would definitely want to have a room that's lively."

I smiled. "Thank you...Mother."

She held my hand again. "It's a pleasure, dear. I'm glad you like it too. Just two days ago, I finished working wonders in this room and showed it to Martin. His face suddenly made a contemplative look that I thought he didn't like it. It was then that he told me about you, dear."

_Two days ago…? The day I first met Mr. Davis…_

"I had thought we won't be able to adopt you into our home especially since it will cause a loss in the okiya you came from," she went on. "Martin was so kind…I'm glad that he was able to persuade the owner. And now, you're here. I can't wish for more."

She held my hand again and did those motherly lighting eyes. It was that same expression of eyes that I can recall my real mother wore when she found the lost me.

_This place is so…warm…and cheerful…so…full of pleasant emotions…_

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

After mother went off to give me time to unpack, I sat down on the edge of my bed and heard a pleasant PLOP sound. I grinned and patted the mattress. I closed my eyes in happiness as I felt the velvety fabric slip through my fingers...I put a hand to my cheeks, blushing.

_Uwahhh it feels so smooth! I've never had so smooth sleeping materials before! _I began caressing the mattress continuously, still amazed. Then, an idea struck me. I looked around and checked closely if the door to my room was really closed before I crept up on the bed and stood up. I jumped once. Then twice. Then continuously.

"Uwahh!! It's so fun and so bouncy and so─" I gushed uncontrollably while jumping.

"I can see that you're enjoying yourself," I heard someone say and in shock I bumped my head on the canopy and almost fell down hard off the bed headfirst if hands did not steady me through my arms. In result, I was able to have a very close face-to-face encounter with Noll. I gasped.

"You're beautiful…" I murmured in awe and I saw slight astonishment grace his face before he smirked again.

_Really, he smirks a lot…_

"You have good preference," he replied and I blinked at him.

"Na-Naru!!" I proclaimed, pointing at him, my other hand over my mouth.

He tilted his head, adorably yet unbeknownst to him. "Huh?"

I grinned wide at his can't-comprehend-you face. _This is fun~~_

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

**OMNISCIENT**

"Naru!" she said again and the black-haired young man stared at the girl, frowning slightly. _What is she on about?_ The young man wondered.

"What are you talking about?" he asked the girl absent-mindedly.

The girl's face lit up and she pointed erratically on his shoes. "I'm calling you Naru at this instant!"

"Huh?" he replied in an unlikely sound again. Indeed, the girl isn't in the right mind. "What kind of idiot language are you communicating to me with?"

The girl wasn't fazed at his insult and shone even more to his dissatisfaction. He doesn't like it when he cannot understand things and just then he felt annoyed at the fact that he cannot understand the girl in front of him. _Why is she deciding to call me in that name all of a sudden? _What's more is that the girl started giggling while making sideway glances at him. She definitely hit a nerve then.

"What are you laughing about?" he glared at her and she stopped giggling for a while, stunned at his coldness but then smiled at him.

"I'm calling you Naru, short for narcissist, because you are so," then she started to giggle again.

"You aren't in the position to decide things like that," 'Naru' crossed his arms unapprovingly at her.

"I can't call you that?" she gazed at him with her chocolate brown eyes and he shrugged.

'Naru' isn't one to be affected by other people's eyes but he likes it when others cower under his glare. However, not only has the girl not cowered to his icy stares, her eyes emitted some unknown power that's overwhelmingly making him submit to her.

He frowned. "Do what you want."

The girl shone brighter than ever and he was thinking about what he just said when the girl asked.

"Is there something you want from me, Naru onii-san?" she queried and Naru stared at her again.

"Onii-san?" he inquired, though he knew what she meant by it.

The girl covered her mouth, suddenly looking at him nervously and twiddling her fingers.

"We-well, can I call you that too?" she asked anxiously. "I was the oldest in my family so I've never called my younger brothers that and also I only have onee-sans in the okiya. Besides, Genie also wants me to call him onii-san…so…"

'Naru' squinted his eyes at the girl. _It seems like she wants to babble a lot. _Then, he remembered a word she said and gazed at her.

"Genie?"

The girl blinked and blushed. "Oh, I meant Gene onii-san."

'Naru' blinked for the first time. _**GENIE? **__**Genie?! **_Suddenly, an inner voice began laughing in his mind as he processed the word. His brother usually teases him as an 'idiot scientist' and it irks him all the time even if it might be true (scratch the 'idiot'). But he never heard of someone calling Gene in such a funny naïve name! He smirked more at the girl's powers. He now has something to tease Gene about.

"I see," he nodded, knowingly. "Do you like naming people often?"

"No, silly," and she kicked his left leg.

**Hard.**

"You─!" he glared and then stopped himself from losing his nerve. He was not one of the people who would lose his temper easily and he reminded himself that nor would he lose his temper to the odd girl. He bent down to touch his injured spot. "What did you do that for?"

"I-I'm sorry, did it hurt you?" _Well isn't it obvious?! _Naru gritted his teeth but said nothing. Her face was covered with worry. Genuine. "I'm sorry for being so familiar with you…It…it's just that my brother used to do that to me to wake me up…"

"Well, I'm quite awake, thank you," he snarled at her.

She nodded quietly, biting her lip as if that wasn't what she was supposed to say. He sighed and feeling the throbbing ebb away, he stood up slowly. "Honestly, what are you doing?"

"So-sorry…actually…I…," she glanced at him hesitant and sagged her shoulders. "It…it was also a greeting."

"A greeting?"

Her face lit up again. "You know! It's also a greeting like 'good morning' or 'hello' but it differs in situations."

"So what were you expressing to me then?" he crossed his arms again, looking down at her.

There came her warm smile again. "I meant that I'm happy to meet you! And please take care of me from now on! And I don't usually name people names unless they are close to me."

_That's a lot. _He frowned.

"Close to you?" _We had barely met._

"Yes!" she beamed and took his hands on hers. "I'm glad to be a part of your family from now on. I hope to make wonderful memories with you Naru onii-san."

He squinted at the girl and sighed before taking his hand off hers and started to walk towards the door of her room. He looked back.

"You don't have to call me onii-san. Just call me Naru, if that's what you want to call me. And on the other hand, mo—"

He heard a puking sound and saw the girl doubled over, a hand over her mouth.

"What are you doing?" he demanded. The girl doubled over again and he immediately rushed to her as she continued to make puking sounds.

He frowned as he placed a hand on her back to calm her. "You've probably eaten too much and have an upset stomach now because of your jumpi—"

The girl doubled over again towards him and he murmured a train of curses as he hauled her to the bathroom. He can't help but scrunch his face in disgust as the girl emptied her stomach on the sink. He rubbed her back and turned his face away from the revolting sight. When the girl was finished, he made her take deep breaths.

"Tha-thank you, onii-san…" she panted and Naru, although listening, just quickly turned on the faucet in silence to wash away the stuff.

He ordered her to wash her face and rub her face with a clean towel before returning to her bedroom. After scrutinizing that the girl is alright then, he went to the door again and turned, sighing occasionally at the helpless person he'll now have as a sister.

"As I was saying, you don't have to call me onii-san. On the other hand, mother and father asked me and Gene to tour you around the garden this afternoon. Go change. We'll be waiting at the front door."

The girl nodded obligingly and he smirked before closing the door behind her.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

I went to sponge myself and hummed as I changed my kimono into a red one, with pink-colored strawberries almost all around it. It was my favorite because it was also the first gift I've received from one of those who appointed me before.

I blushed at the thought. He was a strange man because when he called for a geisha, and I was brought to him, he didn't ask for anything else. I wasn't asked to play the shamisen or anything. I was just told to stay put and eat with him. He didn't speak too but worked with whatever he was working about. It was when he made me check something that I realized he was a University Professor.

I can't help but laugh at the memory. That was the first time that I was asked to do something that is not a part of my job during my working hours before. It was also the first time that I wished I would be able to go to school like those owners of those test papers. It was something that just came into my mind. It wasn't that I hated the okiya and the lessons I have to take. It was just because I somehow longed for the ordinary life.

I longed the life of a girl that's not trapped as a geisha.

I wished that I could learn what those girls learn at school as I checked some of the girls' papers that day.

That man gave me some idea; a spark for a dream. Yet, I didn't see him again and I wasn't able to thank him for the idea he gave me; an idea that I thought I would accomplish when I'm well off in the financial area and when I'm free from the okiya. He didn't come back but after a while, weeks after, I received his gift with a note saying, _'You learn fast. You did well in checking. Thank you for your help.'_

It was one of the things I soon treasured.

I came down and with careful instructions from the maids who were cleaning the hallway and whom I have asked, I joined Naru and Gene at the front door (at least that's what I thought).

Gene waved his hand at me as gaily as usual while Naru just nodded at me once. Naru opened the door and I realized it was actually the back garden. It was huge. A lot of different kinds of flowers surrounded everywhere. In the center was a fountain with a mermaid statue in the middle, tipping a horn on its side where water sprung forth. There are four white pergola pathways (with yellow bells branching out in all sides) which are medial to the fountain at different directions. There were a lot of other paths too, leading to different groups of flowers. In my excitement, I couldn't help but run.

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

**OMNISCIENT**

"She's running, isn't she?" Gene smiled.

Naru frowned. "How can she run with those slippers? She'll─"

Mai tripped.

"Ah," Gene drawled.

"I was about to point that out," Naru said and they both rushed to the straightening girl.

They helped her up.

"Haha, I'm okay," she smiled. Naru and Gene frowned.

"A smile and a bleeding nose don't blend very well," Naru smirked. Mai blushed and was about to wipe it with her kimono sleeve before Naru held her hand and pushed a handkerchief towards her.

"Don't stain your kimono," he shrugged and let go of her hand. "And it's unhygienic with your hands."

Gene smiled. "I'll help you with that, Mai. We should wash your face with water first."

Naru frowned. _Spoiling her..._

"Thank you," Mai murmured as Gene gently wiped her face after washing on the fountain.

"Much obliged, Milady," Gene bowed.

Mai blushed. "Y-you don't have to call me that..."

"Idiot," Naru commented. "Watch where you're going."

"Noll," Gene warned.

"Whatever," Naru shrugged.

"Idiot scientist," Mai countered, huffing. _If he's calling me one...I will too hmph_

Gene laughed.

"What did you─?" Naru growled.

"Now, now," Gene snickered, but covered his mouth to muffle the sound. "That's enough. Give it a rest, Noll."

Naru gave him a glare that clearly said, _'You told her to call me that, didn't you?'_

"Do what you want," Naru crossed his arms and leaned on a post of a nearby pergola.

Gene turned back to Mai, sighing. "Sorry he probably had it all out on you. His latest experiment failed just a few minutes ago."

"Experiment?" Mai blinked.

"He's not an idiot scientist for nothing," Gene winked and Mai laughed.

Gene checked his wristwatch. "Let's stay on the fountain for now."

Mai, however, was already off running to the different paths of flowers, her geta left near Gene's feet.

"Ah, Mai, don't─there's─!" Gene tried but failed as water sprinklers turned on and showered down his new sister. "There are sprinklers..."

Mai yelped but then laughed as she got wet. Naru approached Gene at the fountain, frowning again slightly. "What is she doing now?"

"She's laughing..." Gene said admirably.

Naru looked at Gene silently before smirking. "What an idiot..."

Gene just smiled.

"Well...at least she's unlike other girls who are too vain enough to go screaming murder when they get wet all over," Gene said wryly and they both recalled a faint memory of _**just the kind**_of girl Gene just meant. "And she's a geisha too...I've thought they'll be that kind of girl..."

"Indeed," Naru remarked.

"Let's go join her," Gene invited. "It seems fun."

"Wait, Gene─" Gene ignored Naru and went to Mai. Naru sighed and approached the pair silently, getting wet too.

"Don't blame me if you both get sick," Naru muttered.

_Well...aren't we three going to...? _Gene thought, beaming widely.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself, Mai," Gene said and Mai smiled, turning around.

"Yes," Mai faced him cheerfully, water droplets streaming on her face. "I just remembered when I was still a child."

"When you were a child...?" Naru asked, crossing his arms, intrigued.

"Yes," Mai laughed and cupped her hands forward to hold water droplets. "Me and my brothers used to dance in the rain."

Naru and Gene shared a sideway glance, quietly absorbing the new information. Mai twirled around happily.

"What do you think?" Gene asked his brother.

"She's still an idiot," Naru said.

Gene sighed. "Don't be too hard on her."

"I was not yet finished," Naru said. "I was going to say 'But, we can manage'."

Gene smiled. "That's a nice way to put it."

The sprinklers finally stopped pouring and a reverberating sneeze got the twins' attention. Looking at each other knowingly in an _'I told you so'_ way, they both went to get their new sister.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

The maids were panicking as we went inside the castle. Towels flew at us and we were rushed to our respective rooms. Gene shouted in the fuss that he and Naru will be showing me around inside the castle next time.

I was led into a warm water-filled circular wooden tub in the bathroom of my room. I never had a private bathroom. Unlike the bathhouses I have gone to, there are brass fixtures in my bathroom. The floor was a whitewashed tile. Behind me was a glass stall shower. There were double sinks too, a toilet bowl on its right side, and mirrors on one side of the half-bottom-up tiled wall. I was used to going to rowdy bathhouses in haste. I frowned in thought. Bathhouses have their perks. I get to catch different conversations that somehow helped me as a geisha. Also, everyone treats one another equally there. Not minding about everyone's profession, each and everyone just talk freely and share nicely as we scrub one another's backs.

I breathed as maids lather me with soap and scrub my back. It was not that it wasn't to my liking to be treated so specially. It was just that I am very unfamiliar with being so cared for. The maids were awkwardly quiet and I felt as estranged as ever to this new life.

After rinsing me, the maids filled the tub again and poured something that smelled of soy milk and an essential oil they told me as lavender. I was so intoxicated that I didn't notice them bowing and going out of the bathroom.

I stared at the ceiling, dazed.

_Do I even deserve this kind of life? _

Thinking about it, I can't remember anything I've done good that made God bless me with this opportunity. I was a geisha and we geishas are always thought of as exploiters of rich men and husbands as angry women and wives used to refer to us when we walk across them in the streets.

_What particular goodness have I ever done?_

I remembered my family and I blanched. _Now that I have no job...what would I give them? _I have given them most of my last appointments' profit just yesterday morning. _Should I give them my savings at the end of this week...?_

_But...what would I give the next week after?_

I frowned anxiously. Though they don't ask for anything from me anymore when I left them, I cannot really stop thinking about them. I always worry. _What would my parents and siblings eat when famine hits or pests destroy the crops again? What would my siblings wear now that my parents probably brought them to school?_

I am the eldest nonetheless...I cannot help but worry about them...I was supposed to be the breadwinner...Yet...why am I the only one having such a luxurious life? I may not have a big income in the okiya previously, but I was able to eat three times a day unlike before...

I cried, thinking about it. _What am I supposed to do now...?_

I thought about Mr. Davis and I shook my head. _I can't ask him to provide for my family too...It's my responsibility....and he's given me a lot just from adopting me..._

A knock on the bathroom door got me out of my thoughts.

"Milady, your kimono has been laid out for you on your bed," a voice rang out.

"O-okay," I sniffed. "Thank you."

I heard the door to my room close up and I sighed.

_Somehow...I feel so taxed all of a sudden..._

Without realizing, I fainted.

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

_Ahhh...I feel as if I'm drifting somewhere...floating softly...as if nothing burdens me...like I'm very light to the whole world..._

_I opened my eyes and saw darkness...but at the place where I was...I was glowing..._

_And then he came...Gene? Naru?_

_No he's smiling...Gene..._

_He reached out a hand to me as I lie on the spot..._

_"Mai! Mai!"_

_I smiled in turn...and stretched my hand to hold his extended one..._

_But it didn't reach him...because I suddenly fell from where I was floating..._

_And I jolted awake._

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

I woke up dazed as I stared at the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. They looked relieved at the sight of me and I smiled like I was in heaven.

_Gene..._

"Stop staring and grinning, idiot," the eyes were amused now and I blinked.

I blushed as I realized how close our faces are.

"Na-naru!!" I sat up immediately and he just leaned back calmly from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

He smirked.

"W-what? H-how?!" I gasped as I looked over myself. I was already wearing a new kimono.

_W-wait! Wasn't I in the bathroom a few moments ago?!!_

I gaped at Naru who just won't stop smirking at me.

"W-what happened? How did I get here? W-who changed me?" I ranted in shock and horror.

He shrugged. "I can't believe you fainted in your bathroom."

I stared at him thunderstruck. _He didn't-?!! Oh no, oh no, oh no!! _I stared at him, openmouthed. _He couldn't have---?!!!_

I gulped, flushing furiously, and started in an extremely calm voice, "Y-you didn't...by any chance...saw everything...have you?"

He looked away and I stared widely at him. _He definitely saw everything!!!!_

I noticed that he was paler than usual but then it was gone when he gazed back at me as if he just shoved something that made him uneasy.

"If I did," he simpered. "What would you do?"

I blushed beet red more than ever then. "Y-you--!!!"

He raised his eyebrow and I bit my lip, swallowing my insult. _You pervert scientist!!!_

He suddenly stood up and I blinked at him. He smirked again.

"I didn't look, don't worry," he said unconvincingly. "I covered you when I got you out. Honestly...fainting in a tub...I've never heard of an idiot ever doing so."

"W-well, I'm sorry about that!" I glared as I put a hand to my chest. _What is this feeling as if my heart will leap out of me?!!_

He moved to the door and turned back to me.

"Mother sent me to tell you that dinner is ready," he informed and looked at me over, making me heat up. "But with the way things turned out, I guess you would rather have it here in your room. I'll tell them you don't feel well."

He gave one last smirk and turned around.

"W-wait!!" I yelled and he halted.

"What is it?" he turned to me, raising an eyebrow.

"You haven't answered all my questions fully!" I said.

He crossed his arms and leaned on the door. "What question?"

"W-who changed me?"

He paled so evidently and turned around so quickly. _Too quickly_, I thought dumbfounded.

"I did," he said softly before rushing out of my room.

My heart exploded instantaneously.

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

**OMNISCIENT **

The idiot scientist half-ran to the dining room. He wasn't supposed to dress the new girl up if he hadn't thought about his reputation as a gentleman being slighted.

_Why did she have to remember that question?_

He had thought about it clearly. If he had called the maids to dress the girl, they would be giggling irritatingly at him as their fast connecting brains will conclude easily when they see the lightly covered girl sprawled on her bed, unconscious. It wasn't that he minded about their gossips and the rumors they spread to each other. It was that he minded more if their talks reached his parents.

They definitely won't let the topic go easily. Especially when it was about their stoic son's new inevitable experience.

Naru frowned. _That girl is very troublesome._

He really didn't look. Or either, he tried not to. Naru suddenly quivered while climbing down the stairs. He cannot help but look over her body especially when he felt as if he touched somewhere wrong...And so many times he'd seen her...

He halted his thoughts. He is a guy but he's also supposedly an unfeeling one. He was going to be a doctor so he shouldn't be so bothered at seeing a female's body in real life...

But why is it that he can't just stop his restless thoughts from thinking about how her skin was so smooth under his touch? Why was she so..._**fragrant**_ at that moment?

"No, that was probably just the scent of the water in her tub…" he muttered, combing his hair with his hand.

_Yes…that's it…Geishas probably take care of themselves so much..._

He halted in his steps and glared at nothing. _Why am I thinking of stuff like these? Why am I even feeling uneasy? Her body is nothing. Nothing..._

Yet he cannot really stop thinking about how beautiful her dazed look was.

"No," he growled and smirked at himself through a hallway mirror. "_**I am more beautiful**_**.**"

With that resolve and assurance, he went inside the dining room as casually as he usually does.

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

When his younger brother entered the dining room, Gene felt that there was something bothering him. It wasn't the first time that he sensed his brother's feelings. They were twins after all...and there was this thing between them that they never told anyone about. He heard from his mother that she asked Noll to get Mai again, now for dinner. Apparently, his brother finished cleaning up first than him.

He sighed. _He probably shoved the maids so easily out of his room unlike me..._

It wasn't the first time also that the maids so boldly insisted to scrub his back.

Gene wondered if Mai was alright as Noll sat across him, frowning and somehow waging something inside his own thoughts.

"Where's Mai?" Gene asked and his younger brother paled uncharacteristically.

"She said she's not feeling well," Noll managed to grit out, somehow trying to conceal something that Gene could only surmise. Noll then turned to their parents in an indifferent look and Gene raised his eyebrow. "It seems like she got dizzy from whatever the maids placed in her tub."

"Ah," their mother gasped. "I think I made them place such a strong essential oil for her. No wonder she got dizzy."

Their mother looked at Noll worriedly. "Did she say that she'll be eating inside her room, dear?"

"Yes," Noll coughed and Gene became more curious.

He'd never seen his brother so nervous.

"It's so unfortunate," Luella turned to her husband. "It was supposed to be our first dinner together too."

"Indeed," Martin agreed and called, "Priscilla, tell the cooks to leave some food for the young lady and something that can soothe her dizziness. Order the maids to send them immediately. I still have something to discuss with her tonight."

"Yes, Milord," and Priscilla went away.

Noll smirked and Gene frowned. _What happened to Mai? _The older of the twins pondered.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

Somebody knocked on the door and I gulped anxiously.

"W-who is that?" I croaked. _Please...don't let it be him...Oh please..._

"It's me," a voice said and I paled. _I-it's him!!_

I wasn't going to answer back but then I thought quietly. The voice seemed to be soft and woeful. I bit my lip. They do have the same voice but...should I risk it...?

"I-is that you, Genie onii-san?" I asked nervously.

I heard a mirthful laugh at the other side that confirmed it. I sighed in relief and told him that he can enter.

He stuck his head in. "Is it alright for me to come in?"

"Ye-yes," I smiled slightly, though blushing. _They look so alike that I can't help but remember that..._

I shook my head.

"Are you still not feeling well?" he asked as he pushed a food cart inside.

"I-I feel a little dizzy," I lied.

Gene frowned. "Just as Noll said."

"Naru said that?" I inquired. _That pervert…!_

"Naru?" Gene blinked.

"I-I call your brother Naru...and he seemed to not mind...," I twiddled with my fingers again.

"Why Naru?" Gene smiled, curious.

"Because he's a narcisisst!!" I huffed angrily. _Yes, I am really angry!! How dare he see me naked!!!_

Gene blinked at my outburst and then laughed so charmingly.

"I've never heard of anyone calling him that," he said between laughs. I can't help but cheer up a bit. Gene has such an infectious laughter.

_I wonder if his brother laughs like that..._I blinked at my thought and shook my head again. _Why am I thinking of that jerk now??!! Erase! Erase!_

"You're very red, Mai," Gene noticed and I blushed further as he moved a hand on my forehead. "Are you sure you don't have any fever?"

_Why must they look alike?! I can't help but be angry with that same face the pervert has!!_

"I-I'm fine...hehe," I scratched my head shyly. _He's Gene, he's Gene…_

Gene laid down a bed tray over my lap, placing food everywhere it. "You should eat this soup first. It'll help you calm down. Do you want me to help you?"

"I-it's okay," I replied and spooned the soup but stopped when I saw that I was shivering.

Gene frowned. "You probably stayed too long in the tub. I'll feed you instead."

"No, it's--" _I might remember what happened earlier again!_

"I insist," he interjected and held my hand. I blushed again.

_W-why does my heart feel like leaping out again??!!_

I nodded feebly and permitted him to get the spoon out of my hand. He blew on the spoon after he spooned the soup. My eyes then traveled to his hair as he bowed down to blow the hot matter. I dazed off again. _It looks so soft...I want to touch it..._

His eyes looked up at me and I reddened again. I looked away immediately but I could tell that he was smiling.

"You look really cute, Mai," he chuckled and my face didn't stop blushing.

"I'm not--!" I turned and he tipped the spoon in my mouth.

"There you go," Gene looked at my lips as I swallowed. "You finally gazed at me and let me feed you."

My face heated up and I bowed. _T-this is too much...I think I might have a nosebleed again...Why must he look like Naru?!! I can't look at him properly at all even if I know he's not Naru!! I'm sorry Gene…_

He blinked at me and turned away, a hand over his mouth. I nictitated. _I-is he upset with me?_

"I-is there something wrong?" I asked.

"No," he smiled shyly. "The kimono looks good on you."

I averted my gaze, blushing. "T-the maids laid it out for me…"

_He said it looks good!! _I bit my lip, a little fluffy inside.

He muttered something but I didn't hear him. He just smiled and gestured another spoon-filled soup at me.

"You should finish this up before it gets cold," he suggested and I nodded, going near to take a sip.

I saw a tiny tint of red on Gene's cheeks as I held his hand to support myself, making me sport the same hue on my cheeks too after.

_What is this feeling…that despite this awkwardness…I feel so comfortable?_

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

**OMNISCIENT**

Gene closed the door to Mai's room quietly. When he noticed that the girl was not shivering anymore, he decided to make his escape. He decided that she can handle herself then.

He was very red and he knew it. It wasn't a natural flushing of the cheeks too. It was because the heat emanated from a bubbling feeling inside of him that he cannot contain.

_When she held my hand…_

Gene reddened further. His heart throbbed when that happened. _Especially when she looked into my eyes…_

Gene ruffled his hair. "Ahh, what am I thinking?"

"Gene, you're here," Naru called and Gene perked up to see his younger brother approaching him.

When his brother halted, Gene noticed his brother frown at Mai's door before looking back at Gene. "You went inside her room?"

Gene averted his gaze to a painting on the wall. "Yeah. I brought her dinner."

"The maids could have done that," his brother frowned. "You're spoiling her too much."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gene asked blankly. "_**Naru?**_"

Naru didn't even blink at being called by Mai's nickname for him by his older brother. He smirked and gave a _'So she told you' _expression.

"Don't make her depend on you too much," Naru said. "Even if she'll be treated as our sister now, we should not make it go all over her head. We still don't know her that much, Gene. She might be very troublesome in this household."

Gene sighed. His brother was always readily suspicious of people. Even back at the orphanage, he was always piercing the people they first met with intense glares and stares. Though, he knows that Naru's probably right, he cannot be moved. Gene just had that feeling that Mai isn't someone that would inflict something disastrous in their lives. Rather, he could feel that their family needed just the kind of girl like Mai. That she would become a great part in their lives.

_Though…those are only one of my speculations…_

Naru frowned again when Gene did not respond. Gene just smiled back.

"We can't judge as of yet, Noll," Gene said. "I think that Mai is a lovely girl. And if there's something she's hiding from us, I'm sure there will be a time that she might divulge it to all of us. But if her truth is something we might despise, we are yet to see what would come of her when she's with us now. As of this moment, I can see her as quite a carefree and gullible girl."

It was Naru's time to sigh. Gene was just too nice to everyone. _Too nice_, Naru thought, _that he might be in danger before he knew it…_

A scene of earlier events flashed Naru's mind and he shivered. Gene blinked at him.

"Are you alright?" Gene asked. "You're shivering. Are you cold? As I could remember, you didn't stay long in the bath earlier that much."

"It's nothing," Naru assured quickly. "I'm fine…I just recalled something…hideous…"

_Well she's not really hideous_, Naru's mind corrected him abruptly and he frowned. His mind has become contradictory to him lately. But truthfully, he didn't really find Mai hideous. He was talking about the situation…

Naru dazed off somewhere in his unconscious that was flashing him images of Mai's skin…

"I guess we should start going over the things assigned to us," Gene interrupted Naru's thoughts and the latter just nodded silently. "There's something I want to clarify with you over one of the problems."

"I'll help you," Naru agreed and they both went to their study room which is the attic.

_Dang it! Get out of my mind! _Naru thought angrily to his unconscious as he experienced a hard time forgetting what happened previously.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

**

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_Dear Obaa-san_, I wrote sniffing, _a man has seen me naked…_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhh!!" I shook my head and crumpled the paper vehemently before throwing it to a bin near the desk. I looked at my hands glumly. "Why must I faint in the tub? Why must he see me naked? Why, why, why, why, why?!"

_No matter what I do, I can't stop being bothered about it…My virgin skin…being touched by a man while dressing me up---_

I imagined Naru smirking at me while caressing my legs. I reddened from head to toe.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHhhhhhhhh!" I shook my head again, with my hands on my ears. "Stop thinking about it! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!!"

I wasn't bought by a perverted old man alright. But I just had to be seen by a young man naked!!! _This is too much to absorb!!_

"Akira-onee-san," I mumbled, sniffing. "You didn't tell me what I am supposed to do in this situation..."

I stood up and wobbly plopped on my bed. _Would I live to see another day??? My virgin skin and virgin body…seen and touched so carelessly by a man…_

"And not just any man…" I mumbled sadly. "He has to have a twin too who's nicer than him and whom I don't want to be mixed up with this mess…I can't even look at Gene without thinking about his brother and what the latter has done…"

_I'm so pathetic…Why must I faint in the tub, honestly?!! This is all my fault…_

Though I know it's hardly the end of the world just because a girl was seen naked by a man, I could not help but be horrified. How am I supposed to face him now? No, how am I supposed to face _**them**_ now??!! Ahhh, I feel horrible.

There came a knock on the door and I was about to swim under the duvet to hide myself from whoever when a woman, in her late 20s, entered my room. She bowed and smiled at me. She has maple-red hair and rich gray eyes. She was quite tall and wonderfully figured. I realized that she's a foreigner too like the Davises (except Naru and Gene). Swept by such a rare sight, I think I stared too much because she soon frowned.

"Is there something wrong with my face, Milady?" she asked.

"Ah—no!" I said, flustered. "Sorry for being rude…"

I scratched my head.

She coughed a-matter-of-factly. "Well, then. Lord Davis called for you to his study. He said he wants to discuss some important matters with you, Milady."

I winced uncontrollably, uneasy with the strange honorific that I've often heard lately since I arrived.

"O-okay…?" I inquired.

"Juliet," the woman replied. "I will be your lady-in-waiting."

"Oh…okay…hehe," I said uneasily. "You can just call me, Mai, though. We're just the same after all."

"No," Juliet said adamantly. "We are not the same, Milady. I am your servant and as someone who offers service to you, I must address you appropriately as to your status in this household and of the Davis's family."

"Th-that's…" I murmured helplessly. "I mean…we're both humans and all…b-but if you insist…though…C-can you call me Mai when we're alone? I-I mean, I don't want to be so domineering…I-I don't want you to become just a servant…I want you to be...my friend too…if it's okay with you."

I twiddled my fingers, blushing. _Ah, what am I saying? _Somehow, I realized that I was missing Akira-onee-san. It was because of that that I probably want to befriend someone like my onee-san too. I have felt…truthfully lonely minutes past. Somewhere in my heart, I missed my plain room in the okiya, the little space that my possessions occupied in my former room, and most importantly, the fluffy and warm futon that I lay out on the tatami mat. As the hours passed, I realized some emptiness inside of me that I can't comprehend. I realized, then, that it was because I will not go back to the okiya anymore that the grandeur surrounding me seemed unexciting as the clock ticks. Though this new family made me feel homey as possible…there was something I cannot explain that made me out-of-place…

I was struck by a realization again and I pondered quietly. _It is because I am so ignorant…that I feel this way…It's because I've never felt so bare like this…and scared…What would people think of me when they know I was a geisha? Would they hate me like those envious women and wives? Would they…begrudge me…? _I realized that I was afraid…not to be accepted into this new world I am living in._ Why do I feel like this? I just said to Obaa-san that I would be proud of being a geisha and yet…I feel fear creeping within me…suffocating me…I am afraid…that this new society I am in…will just mock down at me…_

"Milady, is there something wrong?" Juliet asked kindly, her brows knit in worry.

"I-it's nothing…haha," I scratched my head again. "I-is that okay? If you'll call me by my name when we're alone?"

The woman stared at me in slight astonishment before sighing. She smiled slightly. "Very well, then, Mai. We must get going now for Lord Davis is waiting."

"Ah! Right! I'm up!" I leapt up from my bed happily (for befriending someone new) and followed Juliet, humming softly.

Mr. Davis's study was amazing. It was a circular room and bookshelves rose up to the ceiling and lined up the curved walls that surround the lone double doors. It was well-kept and clean. An oak table and chair nestled on a magnificent carpet in the center of the room. There was no fireplace or kotatsu in sight; which was weird since rooms back in the okiya have them both and for an enormous study…I don't think one will be able to survive when winter strikes. My new room has a fireplace though but I didn't know that not all rooms have them.

Juliet announced my arrival before leaving me alone with Mr. Davis. I haven't even noticed him sitting because I was so engaged in turning around to look. He was scribbling something on paper, scratching away documents I'll never dare to question. He looked up at Juliet's announcement and brightened.

"Come sit, here, Mai," he gestured on one of the two chairs which rest on opposite sides in front of his desk. I nodded shyly, gulping.

He put down his pen and held his hands together, smiling approvingly as I sat.

"How have you been feeling within the past few hours, Mai?" he asked gently. "I've heard from Noll that you have not been feeling well and missed dinner. Are you feeling fine now?"

_Grrr…that idiot scientist…_

"Y-yes," I replied shyly. Then, feeling guilty for taking myself aback, I decided to be cheery to show that I'm grateful. "I feel awesome!"

He laughed admirably. "I can see clearly that you're perfectly fine. I had thought that you might have fainted in the tub when Noll returned so late from supposedly fetching you."

I blushed red at the memory and looked away immediately to make it unnoticeable. I twiddled my fingers. "W-well…the liquid the maids poured in the tub was so fragrant that I got so dizzy…"

Davis-san laughed amiably again. "My wife got that scent for you and she admitted herself that it might have been probably too strong for you. Well, as to that, I'm glad that you're alright now. Did you enjoy seeing your room and roaming the gardens this afternoon?"

"Y-yes," I stuttered and smiled a little nervously. "I've been feeling very welcome in your house, Davis-san."

"Ah, that won't do," he gushed and I blinked at him, astounded. "I'm your father from now on so I want to be stripped from formalities with you. You're not a geisha serving tea for me anymore, now, Mai."

He smiled warmly and I bowed, flushing scarlet.

"Ye-yes, father," I responded and he beamed wider than ever.

"Anyway," Father said. "I've called you here to speak about your education."

I blinked again, stunned.

"I've asked the owner of the okiya you came from, Kogiku-san, for a list of the subjects you've learned," he continued. "And indeed as you said, you were studying mostly subjects related to Japanese arts. However, though they might have been useful for you as a geisha and shaped you into a very bright young lady, I think you need more formal education."

I nodded silently.

"I could see that you are equipped in Foreign languages, on the other hand, and I feel that such expertise is a very good foundation for advanced learning. You know your language very well too from what I've seen on the record of your writing and reading skills. You don't seem to have any problems with historical accounts; of which I must praise you about since most young people get bored of them. However, these lessons are limited as they were chosen for the purpose of a geisha's socialization only. You were not taught numeracy (and that skill must be honed in you; it will help you for your career in the future). Though, I think you've learned simple calculation by yourself, I must assume."

I nodded again. I've learned numbers from first counting candies that my brothers and I receive back at my hometown after I show the people my grandmother's dance and some new moves I've created spontaneously myself.

"I see nothing wrong with your previous education but…I feel that they were indeed lacking," Father said. "Education is not merely something that could land you a job in the future. It's something that enriches your youth so that you'll grow into a wonderful adult."

"This spring, I'll be enrolling you into Noll and Gene's new school too. But, before you get in school, you must take an entrance exam first. The school requires everyone to be measured as to formal knowledge learned. I've already contacted someone to teach you on the subjects your education lacked to cover. Your tutor will come tomorrow. She will be assisting you just as Noll and Gene are assisted by their own tutor. The exam would be in three weeks after, luckily. The school gave you enough time to prepare since they understand your condition. Noll and Gene were supposed to start today too. But the school consented to make them join you in your first day of school instead. In that way, you won't be left alone."

_Ahh…they'll be delayed in school activities just for me…I have to do my best in that test then! But...will I really be alright…? How am I supposed to cover 16 years worth of formal education in just three weeks?!! Wahh…what am I supposed to do?!! I can't fail!!_

"I'm really grateful for the opportunity you've given me, Father."

_I can go to school, though!! Like other girls! Yes! _My mind jumped in joy. _I was still given a chance!_

"It is a right to be formally educated," Father replied. "I'm glad you are delighted to what I'm offering you. Noll just wanted to be homeschooled when I told him about going to a proper school institution than moping around in his room."

I can't help but smile as I imagined the less happy-looking guy of the twins, alone and poring over books. _Ack, no! He's still guilty of perversion!! Erase, erase, erase!! _I bit my lip

"T-thank you very much," I bowed. "I-I'm really grateful to become a part of your family from now on."

"Me too, Mai," Father said. "I'm glad I've met you in that tea house. It was not that I pitied you that I adopted you. It was that I contemplated and thought how it would be such a waste to let a young person like you spend your life working without enjoying your youth. I have seen people countless times, very hopeless and at such a young age. The smile you gave me, young lady, was very bright that I don't want the flicker of hope in it to be extinguished by your work. It is so bright that, as a father to her daughter, I would like to polish and shine even more."

He smiled so soothingly and I bit my lip to stop the tears from leaking. It was the first time that someone cared for my future. It was the first time really. Back in the okiya, we were taught to live in the present; to face the day and nothing more. To dream of nothing else but living in comfort as we extort money from what our customers can offer. And now, for someone to give me something when I don't know what I've done to incur it…or what I will do to reimburse equally, I feel so loved.

I would have cried if I didn't hold them back and exited politely when Father dismissed me. Just then, I realized that I've been missing how having a family feels like ever since I went to the okiya. That I've been missing a lot at all. I have always known the difference of a geisha's life to an ordinary girl's. But I've never noticed such magnanimous discrepancy. More so, I forgot. I forgot how it feels to be carefree and have someone look after you as Juliet had waited for me at the hallway. It has been a very long time that I have felt…more of myself…More of Mai than Yume…I realized that I've restrained my vulnerability and brought up a cool façade. I realized that though I've learned to become independent, I lacked the strength to become a real person who seeks for others. I realized that the normalcy I have lived in was a distortion of reality wherein only pleasure reigned; a deep abnormality that would have indeed corroded me, as father implied.

Noticing all of it, I truly feel grateful. I am especially grateful that Kami-sama did not leave my side.

**

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XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

I woke up in a mess. Back in the okiya, we were always required to be early risers. So when I woke up a little late than usual (half past 5), I was shouting to myself about Okaa-san getting angry at me for missing the morning assembly. It was when I didn't hear Akira-onee-san's voice banging on my shoji door that I realized I wasn't a geisha anymore.

When I noticed the newly garbed room around me, it was like reality smacked me on the face. For some incomprehensible reason, I felt a pang within me. I missed my old life already. It was like a restart of my life. At the first few years of my life, I was poor. When I came to the okiya, I was so-so. And now, I am supposed to adjust into a very elegant and glamorous life. I don't even know if I can adjust well after coming from a marginalized society.

When I remembered that I didn't have to work anymore; no more painstaking make-up sessions or trying to please people so ostentatiously, I was a little relieved. Though I usually played the shamisen, there were days wherein all I do is dance. And every night, my feet, hand and hip muscles ache both from strumming and gyrating. Having a lot of appointments everyday always entail doing a lot of showdowns. The one who pleased people the most always get the highest amount for the day.

Now that those are past, the pang somehow gradually ebbed away. In its place, joy abounds. I remembered Davis-san's news yesterday and I smiled at myself on the landscape mirror.

Before Davis-san adopted me yesterday, I was thinking of going to a decent school myself. I have saved money for it though it's still far from necessary. But, besides from giving money to my family, saving for what I want made my work important for me. Oftentimes I had thought that I might be too old before I could go to school. But despite that, I still want to experience it. I want to know how it feels like to have nothing to worry about besides studying or making friends. That kind of life has always been my ideal. And right now, I'm going to take a step in that world. I can't be any happier.

I took a humble bath in my private bathroom and made sure I won't faint anymore. The memory of yesterday's events still bothered me but if I continue to be so, I would never be able to adjust so easily with my new family.

_Perhaps…he'll say sorry when we meet again…_

Just then a knock resounded on the walls of the bathroom and I was startled that I choked on water bubbles.

"You there," a cold voice froze me up.

_Speaking of the devil!! He's not even calling me by my name!! _I shook my head. _No! Stay calm, Mai! He's probably there to apologize!_

I bit my lip to stop from throwing obscenities at him. This was the first time I've gotten so angry at someone that just a trigger could bring about an impulse so great…But then, it was the very first time I've been seen naked by a man. _My foster brother at that!!_

"Don't tell me you've fainted again?" He said and I can almost imagine his smirking face if the door to the bathroom wasn't between us. He seemed bored though. "Don't tell me you'd want me to dress you up again because I won't anymore."

I stared in horror at the door. I felt insulted then. _How dare he—! You arrogant jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

"I didn't faint you pervert!! And I wouldn't wish for you to dress me up ever again throughout my lifespan!!!" I sputtered at him, furious.

_He didn't even apologize!!!!!_

I could hear him smirk again. "Very well, then. Hurry up. We're going to have an early breakfast."

I heard the door to my room close as he slipped away. I gulped and fumed. _Why must he be the one to call me for meals?!!! Why not Juliet?!!_

_Argggghhhhh!!!! I somehow dislike him now!! That pervert!!!!_

Just then, another knock ensued and in came Juliet's voice. "Milady, your kimono is ready. Shall I come in and rinse you?"

My rant was forgotten as I allowed Juliet to come in. I really like her hair. It reminded me so much about my hometown, Matsue. When I was a child, my brothers and I go to the maple trees lined up around the fields and play with the fallen leaves. We gather them, make mountains out of them and hide in them. The color of the trees at that time of year was just lively to behold. It's just so red and dazzling that as I stare at Juliet's hair, I can't help but come into my dreamland again.

"Maple trees…" I murmured.

Juliet blinked at me and I came back to earth. "Pardon, Milady?"

"N-nothing," I said and rose as she finished. She covered me with what they call a bathrobe.

A kimono I don't recognize as mine was on the edge of my bed. It was in flesh-tone hue and calla lilies are designed on it.

"Juliet…where do these kimonos come from?" I asked her.

"The one lying in your bed was in your chest drawer, Milady," Juliet answered. "Is the chosen one not to your liking? I may stop choosing from your wardrobe from now on if you wish."

The formality was too much and I can't take the fact of making someone not do something just because I hinder them to.

"It's alright," I said quickly. "The kimonos you chose are beautiful. I would want you to continue choosing my clothes for me from now on. And you can call me by my name as I told you yesterday, now that we're alone."

She sighed as if she was dreading that I remembered what I asked her yesterday. But I can't help it. The whole status thing just bugs me. I feel so pampered too…with all these new kimonos and other expensive stuffs Davis-san has given me. _How can I ever repay him?_

"We should hurry, Mai," Juliet said and I nodded.

We climbed down the stairs to the dining room. My new father and mother aren't there to my surprise. Only Gene and Naru sat around the round table. Gene smiled at me while Naru ignored me as he read a book.

I smiled back at Gene and silently sneered to the guy who's been aloof very lately. _Or maybe all the time_, I corrected. _Reading even while before a meal…_

My eyes then traveled to the meal before me and I shone at the sight. I know bread and rolls when I see them but I've never seen the others. Back in the okiya, what we usually have as breakfast is the same: tamagoyaki (egg rolls), miso soup, fried fish, rice, and sometimes omelet. The bounty before me, however, was different to my unfamiliar eyes.

"Juliet, what are those things?" I whispered to Juliet, as though conspiratorially. She smiled at me and began explaining thoroughly.

Juliet began explaining the things I pointed to her clearly. I cannot help it. I haven't eaten breakfast like it before. There are just too many types of bread and others I don't know about. I pointed to her a black cylindrical matter and Juliet told me that it's a black pudding, a sausage made from an animal's blood. I wrinkled my nose, not out of disgust in any sort. I just find it strange that such foods exist. But then, it's not like I haven't known that there are weirder foods in the universe. If there's a black pudding, there's also a white pudding, along with pancakes, waffles, egg in a basket, hash browns, marmalade, cinnamon rolls, some pink-colored jam, porridge, ham, bacon, steak, orange juice, hydrangea tea, baked azuki beans, cream chicken soup, kippers, fried plantains, laver bread, Assam-rich tea, fruit pudding, English muffins and scones, chips, soda bread, grits, fried and grilled tomatoes, and a pitcher of milk.

"You should sit down and eat, Milady," Juliet smiled assuringly and I gulped.

I sat beside Gene and greeted him a good morning.

"Good Morning," he replied jovially. "Slept well?"

"Yes," I said. It took a lot of time to remind myself to distinguish to whom I really am angry with. I actually said it over and over my mind that Gene is not Naru no matter how they look alike. I made it a point that Gene smiles and so the one who does not smile is Naru and whom I should be angry with. It takes a lot of practice. After all, they have the same face. If one of them does something I don't like, it's hard to stop myself from blaming either when they look so alike.

_He's Gene, he's Gene. He's not at fault. He's not the __**one**_.

"Father and mother went out early," Gene told me. "They'll be home late today. They have some business meeting to attend, I heard."

"I-I see," I bowed my head. I realized just then that I chose the wrong seat: something which is directly across the narcissist I don't want to meet my eyes with. _Grrr…_

"Slowpoke," I heard the arrogant boy mutter and I nearly growled if Gene wasn't beside me.

"Well, let's eat now, Noll, Mai," Gene offered and I nodded silently.

The food was definitely scrumptious. I was filling my plate before I knew it. Gene told me about the day's events. He informed me that after breakfast, I'll be meeting my tutor and immediately start lessons. Then, during lunch break, he invited me for a tour around the castle. I think I heard Naru snort but he masked it well while sipping his tea.

I was truly excited. _What would my tutor be like?? Would it be a he or a she? What lessons would my tutor teach me?? What things would I learn?_

I ate gracefully yet hastily. I wouldn't want my tutor to find out that I am a tardy person and lacking in etiquette. I have a reputation, from the okiya I came from, to show.

"Glutton," I heard the narcissist mutter again as I went to get another steak. I stepped on his foot mercilessly under the table. He gritted his teeth at me and glared. I just licked my lips and ate joyfully. _Revenge for not apologizing…_

He was going to lash out, clearly, when Gene blinked and laughed at me.

"Ah, Mai, there's something on your cheeks," he pointed out.

"Eh?" I asked blankly and started wiping blindly but Gene outdid me. He wiped my left cheek gently and went to swipe my lips clean of any dripping fluid too. I blushed crimson.

Naru smirked at me. "What a pig…"

I glared at him. "Shut up, you narcissist."

Gene darted his eyes from me to Naru and laughed. "Really, you two. You've been arguing since yesterday."

"He started it," I accused and Naru smirked. _That sharp-tongued jerk!!!_

"I was simply stating my observation," he said and fixed his eyes upon me. "If you are offended from realizing your own weaknesses, then, that is beyond me."

_Grrr…_I bit my lip indignantly, sighed, and smiled coyly. "I guess you're right, _**Naru-chama**_~ Your observation of my weaknesses greatly thrilled me! Now I know that you're watching over me. You're such a caring brother~!"

I made my voice as sickly sweet as possible; something that's easily traceable to be so mocking. Gene snickered and Naru glared at me. I would have made it to theatrics but sickly sweet is the way to be. I know of course that he was trying my patience. I felt as if I was a laboratory animal he wanted to dissect then and there. _What am I?! A newly discovered species??!!_

_And he's already seen me naked!! Grrr!!_

"Fair enough," he replied, up to the challenge, and smirked. "But this caring brother cannot truly watch over his _**lovely sister**_ especially today and the next days to come till eternity because his _**lovely sister**_ must grow up at some point."

_GRRRRRR!!!!_

I sat up straight in my seat.

"Very well, _**Naru-chama~**_," I said darkly. "This _**lovely sister**_shall show you that she can stand up on her own."

With a huff, I drank my milk, clearly losing my appetite, and asked Juliet to take me to where I should go next.

**

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**OMNISCIENT**

Gene restrained himself from laughing and instead sighed. He almost coughed up his tea if not for the pointed glare his younger brother gave him.

"You really should loosen up on her, Noll," Gene said.

"I was simply—"

"I know, I know," Gene nodded. "It's just like you to say things so blatantly but at least try to be welcoming for once. It's not like it'll hurt."

Naru shrugged and Gene smiled. His younger brother can be very childish without him knowing. Naru's sharp tongue can usually get the best of him sometimes. So few can tolerate it, especially only Gene and their foster parents.

_And now Mai too_, Gene thought gaily.

Naru, very unlikely, snorted, as if he just read Gene's train of thoughts. Gene sighed again.

"Stop being immature, Noll."

"Whatever," Naru checked the time and glanced at Gene. "It's time for our lessons."

Gene nodded and they both went to their study room.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

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To my surprise, I was led to father's study. There was an additional desk and chairs in the middle of the room. I craned my neck for any sign of another being but there wasn't. I glanced at Juliet and she told me to wait for a while as she'll fetch my tutor from the living room. I nodded feebly and decided to sit on the chair set up for me. Some books were stacked neatly aside on the desk's surface and notebooks and pens adjacent to them. I looked up straight and saw a blackboard hanging by a nail on a shelf across me, about six shelves from the floor. I haven't seen it yesterday and I could only guess that it was brought there to suit my ethical needs.

I couldn't see the sun at all since there are no windows in the room. I felt like trapped for some reason, with only books to look at. _I wonder how Davis-san can tolerate this kind of room…Doesn't he even feel…lonely…?_

The door creaking open made me sigh in relief. The loneliness was almost killing me. I turned around and I saw another beautiful tall woman. She has the same rich red hair but has wide brown eyes. She wore a black office jacket over a white buttoned shirt, gray stencil skirt, and black high heeled shoes.

"Good morning~" she chipped in happily at me and I smiled awkwardly.

"He-hello…morning…" I stammered.

I'd have thought she'll hop in but she walked gracefully towards the middle of the room.

"I'm Madoka Mori, your governess," she introduced and held her hand.

I shook her hand shyly. _I couldn't distinguish her as Japanese at all!_

"I'm—Mai," I said shortly. I was going to say Mai Taniyama. But then I thought it over. If the Davises adopted me, wouldn't my last name change? I bit my lip, thinking if it was okay if I just say my first name when introducing myself to new people for now.

Madoka-sensei doesn't seem to mind and instead sat down on the chair across me. "Well, now that we had our introductions, I'll tell you my areas of expertise."

I gulped and she beamed. "Don't worry sweetie, I don't bite."

I smiled slightly at her joke.

"According to my, should I say, arrangement, I'll be teaching you Science, Japanese, English, Literature, some English etiquette, _**and~~~**_" she stressed the last word playfully and winked at me, leaning closely. "I can teach you _**the ways of seduction**_ if you like."

I blushed like there's no tomorrow and she laughed hysterically.

She dabbed on her eyes for false tears. "Ahh~~I'd never tire of the reactions my students have when I say that."

We stared at each other for a moment and then we both burst out into healthy fits of laughter. _I could tell I'll love her already…_

When we finally got a hold of our breaths, she asked me to leaf through the books on my desk and made me chose which I would like to start with. I decided to start on Science. I recalled having met some foreign scientists before. I could remember me and Akira onee-san poking some drunken scientists relentlessly because every time we do, they spew out formulas or things about their experiments like about the laboratory animals that had let loose or something. We laughed a lot all the time. It was funny how people's profession could take over even in their dreams.

_Thinking about it….I wonder if I do that too…_

"I won't be telling you what the books say but instead, it'll be the guide of our lessons," she informed me. "So, you'll have to take notes from what I'll be lecturing you about since they can't be usually found in those books, okay?"

I nodded.

"You can read the books for reference and for clarifications or just ask me simply," she yipped and stood up to the blackboard.

I flipped through the first page of the book and grinned sheepishly. _This is it…Mai…what you've been wishing for so long…_

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**OMNISCIENT**

Gene stared out the window of the attic. He and Naru finished earlier as always. It has always been like that. They weren't called 'Genius Twins' by their previous tutors for nothing after all. They understand all they were taught of easily and so there were no interruptions and they finish early all the time.

_More time for snooping around now_, Gene thought. He looked over his brother who was reading something again. It was a new book again and if Gene had counted right, it's the fifth book that he's reading that morning.

Gene smiled. "You weren't actually listening to Lin, were you?"

Naru shrugged and met his brother's eyes. "I was listening while reading."

Gene was thoughtful. "I guess I'll try that one next time. I wonder how Lin will react if we both do it. He doesn't really mind you when you're at it."

Naru smirked. "I'm surprised. Don't you have anything better to do than bothering me?"

It was Gene's time to smirk. _That's right_, Gene thought. _I do have something better to do_.

He was actually waiting for the right moment though. He'd said it himself.

He's going to fetch Mai. _Sweet, cheerful Mai._

He sort of promised to himself that he'll tour her around after all. But then, coming to the attic with his brother has been a habit ever since and it isn't something he wanted to break. He likes the old-reeking place, a very wide expanse of dusty wooden floorboards with only empty crates to sit on. Old weaponries line up on the farthest side, untouched for so many centuries now.

Gene smiled teasingly at his brother. "I don't want to leave you just yet."

Naru made a sound that seemed like snorting and sputtering. He glared at Gene. "You're getting creepier by the day, lady killer."

Gene chuckled. "Ah, I just love you, idiot scientist."

Naru looked up at him in revolt. "Get out of here, you lunatic. I'm getting sick of you."

"Ouch," Gene feigned with glee in his eyes. He just _**loves **_pissing off his brother. "That was harsh you know? This has always been the place of our trysts~~!"

Naru glared with ten times the intensity and Gene broke out into a very loud laughter. He's very immune to the venomous stare already.

_More like seen it in my reflections many times when I emulated it_, Gene thought. He'd made a game once, more for his entertainment. It was a game wherein he looks at his reflection and sees if he can imitate a new expression he'd seen his younger brother wore. He'd laughed through it and Naru, unknowingly, just thought he was nuts. _If only he knew…_

He heard Naru sigh and look at him, as if tired. "If you want to get her, then do so. She's probably expecting you with what you told her earlier. Besides, I don't care being alone. Stop clinging to me."

Gene stood up with a silly smile on his face. "I wasn't, you narcissist. I was actually going to go even if you hadn't hinted it."

Gene walked to a rectangular hole on the floorboards and gave a final wave before jumping and vanishing in the hole, down to the room under, with a soft thud.

Naru smirked. "Idiot lady killer."

For some other reason he doesn't know, he's quite irritated with what he just did.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

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Contrary to the fact that my brain might have had gotten duller by the minute, my bottom has gone numb for sitting so long. I was interested; I really was of my lessons. But then, interest is something you must maintain thoroughly and somehow it became harder to keep up.

_No, Mai! Your determination cannot waver!! It really cann—_

My head hung up as I started to doze off. It was when Madoka-sensei put a hand on my shoulder that I woke up and pretended I was simply bowing. She smiled at me.

"It's okay," she said soothingly. "You can go back to sleep. We'll stop here for now. We've covered half of the fundamentals already anyway. It was my fault for overriding your time."

I looked at her anxiously and she laughed heartily. "It's fine. As I said, we've covered what I'd planned to and even went over a little. You should go rest for a while before you take your lunch."

A knock sounded and we both turned to the opening door. Gene's head peeked in.

"Mai's finished?" he asked.

Madoka-sensei beamed at me. "There's your samurai. You can go now."

I blushed, nodded and stood up. I bowed at her. "Thank you for your time today."

Madoka-sensei nodded too. "I'll be here the same time tomorrow."

I smiled and waved before going out with Gene.

"How was it?" Gene asked and I flushed crimson.

"I-I sort of…slept," I said, embarrassed at myself.

Gene burst out in laughter. I squinted my eyes at him, pouting.

"Ahh, sorry, sorry," he waved a hand apologetically, his other hand clutching his aching stomach from laughing. "It was just an amazing thing to do."

I gritted my teeth. "I didn't mean it."

Gene nodded amiably. "I know."

I sighed. "I unconsciously started to sleep."

Gene smiled. "That's alright. You need to catch up fast so it's understandable if it's hard coping."

"Do you think I can do it? Pass, I mean?" I asked. "Everything's somehow new to me, Genie onii-san. What should I do?"

"Don't worry. You're not alone. I can help you."

"But…how?" I bit my lip. _How can I repay you and your father?_

"Not how but what," he clarified. "What can I help you with? It's not only one who could teach you. I'm like your senior, remember? I'll teach you in the sidelines. We have no school yet anyway so there's enough time for both of us."

I stared at him and then looked away. "I'm sorry…I made you delay your schooling…"

Gene blinked. "No, it's not your fault. Noll and I don't really mind if we delayed schooling or not."

"But—" he hushed me with his finger on my lips. I reddened darker.

"No buts," he interrupted and grinned. "You mustn't forget: we're delaying school also because we wanted to. It's not only for your sake. It's what we both think is right. So, don't worry about it anymore okay?"

I nodded sheepishly.

He put a hand in his pockets, grinning. "So, where would you want to go?"

"Um…you guide me," I responded thoughtfully

"Alright. We'll start at my hiding places."

"Hiding places?" I widened my eyes.

"Where I hide when the narcissist is chasing me," he winked at me playfully and I laughed.

I'm not very sure but through sideway glances, I think I saw a faint blush rest on Gene's cheeks.

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**A/N: I'm so sorry for the very late update!! Looking at the last day I've updated this, I'm astounded that it was almost over a year ago!! So sorry for making you all wait!! Life has its way of getting into me!! Anyway, I also decided to try finish (or at least nearly finish) my other fanfic first which has been going on for more than two years or so. ^_^**

**I'll try my best to update as fast as I could!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you have any questions, you can message me or post it as a review ^_^ I'll be answering particular (not all) questions ^_^ I wouldn't want to spoil you though!! :)**

**Oh yeah, oh yeah! I have a poll!!**

**Whom do you prefer more/most? Naru or Gene? XD I want to know!! \(=.=)/**


	3. Geleeing

**A/N: Thank you for all those who contributed their ideas especially to: FallenRaindrops, krisaku, and weezerz2490. I'm very grateful for your help and fortunately, you all helped me in getting out of writer's block. I really appreciate it ^^ Some of your ideas even collided with mine! XD**

**Terms beforehand;**

Unagi sushi=a simple roll of sushi containing eel and slices of cucumber

Onmyoudou= a spiritual path that incorporates many practices into a way of finding personal balance and applying it to one's world.

Onmyouji=a practitioner of onmyoudou; deals regularly with forces beyond most humans' comprehension; they usually keep a 'shikigami' which resolves one job while they resolve another job

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Review**

He put a hand in his pockets, grinning. "So, where would you want to go?"

"Um…you guide me," I responded thoughtfully.

"Alright. We'll start at my hiding places."

"Hiding places?" I widened my eyes.

"Where I hide when the narcissist is chasing me," he winked at me playfully and I laughed.

I'm not very sure but through sideway glances, I think I saw a faint blush rest on Gene's cheeks.

**End of Review**

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Contrary to what I thought outside of the castle, there are actually more stories inside than what it looks to have outside. The topmost floor—where my room, Gene's room, Naru's room, Father's study, a library (larger than Father's study), and our foster parents' room are situated—is actually the fifth floor of the building. The rest of the rooms on the fifth floor are deserted and implicitly, specially reserved to guests. On the fourth floor, what I thought was the first floor, is where the sitting room, dining room, kitchen, and rooms of the servants are. The third floor, on the other hand, is basically composed of the cellar and storage room. There are only two double doors, both opposite to each other in the wide hallway. They're usually locked up unless the servants get some stock to bring to the kitchen. The smell of old wine was evident yet bearable. The second floor is originally a very wide armor and weapons' room (another battlefield equipment room, Gene said; the other one was the attic which he told me is his and Naru's study room now). There were katanas, spears, cannons, daggers, pikes, axes and many more. Some old heirlooms, probably from the past families living there, were neatly stacked there too.

Gene told me that we'll roam until the second floor only since he doesn't like the first floor very much. During our traveling, he'd pointed out secret spaces here and there that he'd discovered when he's on the run from Naru's grasp. I think he knows the castle more than anyone and I thought he liked every floor since he always expresses the beauty in each. Somehow, his uneasiness when I asked what the first floor was like is quite a little shocking. It's a first that I learned something he's nervous about.

"What's in the first floor that you don't like it?" I asked slowly as I leaned on a wall of the room. It's a little slanted so it's like I'm half-lying. There was nothing to sit on unless you want your body to be pierced. There were traps everywhere after all so it's dangerous sitting by. Somehow, besides a weapon room, it's also a training room for the soldiers long ago.

"Actually," Gene said quietly but sadly. "It's a penitentiary."

I realized I was leaning down too much that I'm slowly sliding down. I placed a hand over a thin wooden pole that's sticking out of the wall and which is beside me.

"Ah…I see…so that's why you—ah—!" The wooden pole I steadied unto went down and suddenly the wall I was leaning on and that's behind me opened up, causing me to fall backwards. I stared at Gene, horrified and astounded. He was far from me and like the dream I had yesterday, his hand was out of reach.

"GENE!" I cried.

"MAI!" he called as he ran, though it was futile.

And I fell on the moat.

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"Mai!" Gene called to me from above. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" I called back, a little embarrassed.

I have been flapping my arms for a few minutes or so until I realized that the moat isn't deep as I thought it was. I straightened up and hugged myself, shivering slightly as a breeze went by.

Gene sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're alright. Wait on the shore! I'll get you some towel and dry clothes."

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, thank you."

I was feeling silly for some reason. _Ahh…way to go Mai…falling over again…_

I looked up at the place I fell off. I realized that it was originally a cannon hole. The castle is actually high if you look it up and down. Scrutinizing it closely, it's because the castle's base, made of stone, consists most of its height. Inside the sloping stone hill the castle seemed to be built on top of actually are the first to third stories that can't be seen outside. That's why the first to third floors were somehow colder than the fourth and fifth stories. The castle indeed looked magnificent and mighty even after so many years.

I scooped up some water and saw a sakura petal in it. I glanced at the moat. It was all covered with sakura petals that if not for the small patches that showed water, I would have thought it was a bed of snow. I grinned happily. The sight was so beautiful. I realized that around the moat were overhanging sakura trees. No wonder, almost everything of the moat is covered with fallen sakura petals! It looks brilliant everywhere I look. Wanting to enjoy a better view over it, I went to shore.

It was then that I met a more lovely sight than I've expected.

I blinked. It was none other than the narcissist but there was something different about him. He was not smiling as his usual self I think. But, he wasn't cold-looking either. His face seems relaxed more than I'd ever seen him. However, what really shocked me was that he seems to be really enjoying himself. He is actually painting something and just the way his hands move, the way he strokes his brush on the canvas before him was very tranquil and beautiful.

"Wow…" I muttered and it was then that he noticed me. The spell broke out then.

He frowned. _Ack! I guess I shouldn't have disturbed him…_

He stopped what he was doing as he looked me over and sighed.

"Had a good dip?" He asked, smirking. "Really, don't you have anything better to do than fooling around?"

I fumed. "Well, sorry, if I always look like fooling around for you, you narcissist! If falling over cannon holes is fun for you, I'd like you to try them then!"

He sneered, satisfied. "Why aren't you with my brother, then?"

"I-I-I fell," I admitted and he frowned again. "He-he's coming though! He just went to get a towel and—"

He simpered. "You sure fancy my brother as your helper, do you?"

_Ahh…I said something wrong again…it's not like that!_

"He's not!" I said vehemently and bit my lip. _I didn't even ask for his help…even if I'm really grateful… _I looked away, ashamed of myself. "I don't think of Gene that way…"

He gazed at me silently before resuming his painting. "Whatever."

We were both silent and as I waited for Gene, I came to have a good view of what Naru is painting. It was actually a very good semblance of the moat with the sakura petals and the overhanging sakura trees.

"You're such a skilled painter," I told him and he said nothing. "Ah! I know! How about you'll paint me?"

He stopped what he was doing and stared at me, raising his eyebrow, before saying sarcastically, "_**Paint you**_?"

_You—!_

A nerve was going to break but I halted it and took a deep breath. _Grrr…_

"Yes, _**paint me**_, with the landscape you're painting now," I said calmly.

"I see no reason to," he smirked. "Besides, you'll just ruin the landscape."

_This narcissist!_

"Then, I order you!" I huffed and crossed my arms.

He glared at me. "You _**order**_ me?"

"Yes, I order you to paint me!" _Him and his arrogance! Grrr!_

"And why do you think that would be reason enough?" He sneered.

"Be-because…" I blushed, thinking of other reasons to qualify. "Ah! B-because you didn't say sorry when you saw me n-naked and dressed me up without my consent! I'll take a portrait of me as a token of apology."

Naru paled and it was my time to smirk. I nodded my head, pleased with my reasoning. _Be grateful, you idiot scientist! I can tolerate you this much! Hmpph!_

But then, he was packing up his easel, canvas and other painting materials before I know what's happening.

"Whaa—what are you doing?" I stammered. "Aren't you supposed to paint me?"

I looked at him pleadingly and he smirked at me. "You wish. Even if I'll see you naked every day, I wouldn't make a portrait of you just to apologize."

He strode off and blushing furiously, I shouted at him. "Wha—You pervert!"

_GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…That pervert scientist!_

I stomped my foot angrily. _Does he hate me so much?_

"Are you alright, Mai?" I heard Gene nearby and I stopped my fussing. He gazed at me worriedly and looked over his shoulder to glance at his retreating brother. "What happened?"

I blushed. "S-sorry…it was just…your brother…he gets me so angry…"

Gene blinked at me and laughed. He was holding a towel and a new kimono. He gave them both to me and I wrapped myself with the towel.

"You can sponge up and change inside one of the servants' room before we'll go for lunch," he said and I nodded.

We started walking back to the castle. Glancing around like any explorer, Gene told me more about the castle grounds. The first courtyard, Gene said, was the training grounds centuries ago. Unlike the main courtyard, where I entered yesterday, it was flattened loamy earth so that when it rains, Gene said, it's like a pig's pen.

_I guess it's training for soldiers to fight in extremely different conditions…_

The main courtyard is in the middle of the two courtyards. It's a wide cobblestone-floored area with a simple fountain in the center. An archway on the right of it, Gene said, leads to the third courtyard where the stables are.

We passed through the garden (I dazed off at the sight of the radiant flowers again) and used the back door.

"Gene-nii, why does Naru-nii hate me so much?" I asked Gene while walking.

"Haha, now that I think about it, it's better if you'll just call me Gene, Mai," he said and I agreed.

He contemplated. "Well, I don't think Naru hates you or anything. He's just like that with everyone he meets for the first time."

"How long does it take for him to be nice to someone?"

Gene shrugged as we entered the long hallway. "Noll isn't actually one to be explicitly nice to anyone. So I can't say he'll actually be nice to you later on. His words always get you first and they stung for a long while. But, his actions should be more noticeable than his words. He's usually silent but he acts accordingly. If there's something he doesn't like or whatever he observes and likes to say, he speaks it out. He doesn't hesitate. So if he told you something that's not nice to hear, look at his actions instead. He might say something rude, but that doesn't mean he wasn't thinking about it. He just actually doesn't know how to act nice when he's supposed to be doing so. More like, he does it unconsciously."

I blushed, remembering Naru's pale face and what he said earlier. _Does that mean…he's sorry for what he did yesterday…but doesn't know how to…?_

Gene winked. "The idiot scientist is proud too, don't you think? He's not one who'll easily back down when his domination is shaken."

I grinned, nodding in understanding. _Naru definitely was irritated when I ordered him to paint me!_

"No wonder he makes me so angry," I muttered.

Gene gazed at me and smiled. "I'm jealous though that he can make you so angry."

I blushed. "Whaa—you want me to get angry with you?"

_You haven't even done anything wrong…_

"Haha, that's not what I mean," he halted and scratched his head, looking sideways. "I meant that you both are getting along very well that I can't help but be jealous."

I looked at him as if he said something silly. "What are you saying? We're not really getting along. Contrary to that, aren't _**we**_ the ones who are getting along?"

I smiled at him and he blinked before suddenly placing a hand over his face, covering his eyes, nose and mouth.

"Ah," he drawled and I nictitated.

"Gene? Are you alright?" I inquired.

"I'm fine," he said, still covering his face. His breath was hitching. "I just…can't take the heat…"

"Do you have a fever or something?" I said, astonished, and came to get his hand off his face to place mine over his forehead.

It was then that I saw his eyes that I stopped. They were the same beautiful eyes that dazzled me yesterday. But, they belonged to someone else now. Yet, they were still enchanting that I cannot help but turn to scarlet. Besides that they were beautifully colored, there was some emotion in them that I could not register, something that makes me so happy for some reason I cannot understand…

Gene's expression was something I've never seen him make before. He was not smiling as he used to do. It was just…soft and gentle…and full of…something that's making my heart beat every second and that's very breathtaking…

_What is this…feeling…?_

There was a cough and we both flinched. We moved away from each other as if we were caught in an unpleasant act.

"Lunch is ready, Gene," Naru informed and he went away, smirking, but soon halted and turned to me. "You too, _**Mai**_**.**"

I blushed deeply, knowing very well how Naru's eyes danced at me testily and implied that he knows exactly what was happening.

_Is that his way of teasing? That narcissist!_

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**OMNISCIENT**

Lunch was very quiet than expected.

Gene, who deemed to erase the inexplicable tension in the air, decided to inform Mai of the rest of the day's activities.

"So, Mai, I heard Lin would be teaching you this afternoon," Gene began and a startled Mai almost choked on a cherry.

"Wha—who?" She gulped.

Gene smiled at Mai's obvious look of preoccupancy. _She's too cute…Ah…_

Gene covered his mouth and cheeks again as he felt the heat threaten to erupt from his face. Naru gazed at him in curiosity and smirked.

Gene narrowed his eyes. _I know what you're thinking, idiot scientist_—He fired in his thoughts.

_I didn't even think about anything, lady killer. _Naru smirked even more.

_Then why are your eyes looking so amused?_

Naru lifted a corner of his lips, stupefyingly pleased at Gene's uneasy telepathic thoughts. He was making a comeback from Gene's teasing.

_I could see that you're quite smitten._

—_You—! _Gene glared.

"Umm…" Mai said inquiringly and they both looked at her brusquely. She scratched a finger to her face. "Are you both alright?"

They both blinked and looked away from each other. They forgot that Mai was there and that they've been glaring at each other throughout the unspoken communication.

"We're okay, Mai," Gene smiled assuringly. "We were just having some silent prayer."

"I see," Mai brightened. "So, who's Lin?"

"You don't even know your own tu—"

"Lin's our tutor," Gene interrupted Naru with a meaningful stare. "I heard Lin will be teaching you History, Math, and Foreign Languages. Lin's an expert at those. Lin's also an onmyouji."

"An onmyouji?" Mai spluttered, almost sprinkling rice.

Naru narrowed his eyes. "Don't talk when your mouth's full, idiot."

"S-sorry," I wiped my mouth and swallowed. "I-is that true?"

"Yes," Gene nodded. "Lin even taught us some Onmyoudou when we insisted."

"It was only you who insisted," Naru frowned.

"You were also intrigued though," Gene grinned.

"So what if Lin is an onmyouji?" Naru asked.

"I just think it's amazing," Mai grinned. "I also have a friend who's an onmyouji back in my hometown."

"Now that I think about it, where's your real hometown, Mai?" Gene wondered.

"Matsue…" Mai smiled in reminiscence. "My family lives in the farmlands."

"I see," Naru said. "So, this friend of yours…?"

"He's an old man," Mai chirped. "I usually go to him because he tells amazing stories."

"What kind of amazing stories?" Gene asked, intrigued.

"Stories about souls, demons, gods, and monsters," Mai responded, smiling. "Most are usually about the ghosts and demons he defeated and exorcised."

Naru and Gene stared at each other silently.

"That sounds like your friend have had great adventures," Gene commented and Mai nodded cheerfully.

"So you like horror stories?" Naru asked and Mai beamed.

"Yes! I find them quite romantic," she replied ecstatically.

Naru and Gene blinked.

"Romantic? In what way?" Naru smirked. As much as he was trying to deny it, he was showing more interest to the girl than before.

"Well…you see…I find some kind of affinity with the demons and ghosts in my friend's, Kotsue-ojii-san's, stories," Mai explained, twiddling her fingers. Somehow, they have all halted eating. "I feel that the reason they seem unruly and evil wasn't that they wanted to be so. Rather…I think it's because they wanted to be special…to be remembered, even if it's a bad role they're characterizing…I think…that feeling is quite romantic…like a one-sided love…"

Gene and Naru stared at each other again. It was the first time the girl spoke of something so complex that their tendency of grasping her meaning seemed so shallow at the moment.

Naru recovered quickly. "I see. So that's what it was."

Mai blinked at Naru. _So his face can be so solemn too…_

"S-so…is Lin-san strict?" Mai imagined a beautiful woman like Madoka, wearing glasses and holding a whip.

"Not really," Naru shrugged and smirked. "Though, I doubt Lin will tolerate sleeping pupils."

_Ack! _Mai blushed. _How did he find out?_

His smirk deepened and Mai glared at him.

"Don't scare her, Noll," Gene frowned. "Lin's not that strict. Hmm…although, Lin can be quite laconic. And I suggest that you prevent yourself from falling asleep still…because Lin's glare is creepy…Lin threw a book at Noll once when he fell asleep…"

_What a scary teacher! _Mai thought, gulping.

"That was _**you**_, idiot," Naru shot at Gene. "Don't put me in your shoes."

Gene scratched his head, chuckling. "Oh, I thought that was you, Noll."

"Don't forget important details," Naru fired.

"Hai, hai, _**Naru-chama~**_" Gene teased and Naru's eyes blazed. Gene laughed heartily.

Gene put a finger to his chin in contemplation. "But…I think you did fall asleep once and I recall it was because you were awake the whole night before, looking for your lab rat Maggie. You were muttering about it in your sleep. Really, Noll, how come you come up names for your lab rats and identify each and every one of them when they all look the same?"

Naru now has his hands clenched into fists on the table.

"Because they're mine and I can name and identify them, lady killer," he glared at Gene, his eyes dancing in embarrassment and his face paling. "And I was not muttering in my sleep."

Mai was amazed. It was the first time she saw Naru act so…childishly defensive…

"But it's really weird, Noll," Gene said pseudo-innocently. "You were dreaming about a lab rat…"

"I was not!"

Gene smiled mischievously. "Yes, you were. You were muttering, 'Maggie! Maggie!'— "

"—You—!"

"I wonder how you come up with the names…"

"Shut up!"

A sweet and soft laugh reverberated throughout the dining room and they both looked at Mai in wonder.

"You *snort* guys *snort* are so *snort* funny!" Mai said, her cheeks flushed.

Naru just shrugged and Gene smiled.

"You're both really close!"

Naru narrowed his eyes and grunt-growled. Gene just scratched his head.

_She has no idea how difficult you are to handle, lady killer, _Naru thought to Gene with a sideway glance.

_**And**__ she has no idea how such an animal lover you are, Noll._

_SHUT UP!_

And Gene almost rolled on the floor laughing with Mai wondering what got into him and Naru frowning at his brother's outrageous behavior.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

"I thought he's going to be a woman!" I muttered sideways as inaudibly as I could as I sat on the same chair in the middle of Davi—Father's study.

Lin-san turned out to be a tall young adult, probably in his mid-20s or something. He has black hair and eyes, a long fringe covering the half of his face. He's wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants.

"Did I disappoint you?" He said and I blushed.

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-you heard me?" I blushed and I bowed countless times. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"That's enough," he said and I gulped, nodding quietly and biting my lip. "And it was my shikigamis who heard you."

I gaped and tilted my head. "Shikigamis?"

"Familiars," he clarified and I oh-ed and remembered my old friend.

"Oh yeah! Shikigamis! I forgot what they are!" I beamed. "I have an old friend who's also an onmyouji!"

Lin stared at me. "Who is this old friend?"

"Kotsue-ojii-san!"

"Kotsue…?" Then his eyes widened. "Do you mean Kotsue Shinbu?"

I put a finger to my chin, trying to recall. "Yeah…I guess that's his complete name…"

He looked quite surprised. "That's…my father's teacher…"

"Ehhh!" I tilted my head. _Now that I look at him closely…he looks familiar…_

"Ah!" I exclaimed. "You're the professor who made me help check test papers!"

"Test papers?" He frowned, as if trying to remember, and stared back at me. "Ah."

"I haven't been able to thank you for your gift," I smiled. "I really liked the kimono. Thank you very much."

I bowed politely and he gazed at me a little bewildered.

"So you were that geisha…?" He said, somewhat stunned.

"Yes," I beamed. "Davis-san adopted me just this Sunday."

"I see…" He narrowed his eyes. "Shinbu-san…where did you meet him…?"

"In my hometown Matsue," I replied. "He tells me a lot of amazing stories so I come to visit him often."

He was quiet for a while, thinking deeply. "Is that so…"

I blinked my eyes at him, waiting for his next sentence.

He narrowed his eyes. "I will start teaching you Mathematics first since I've heard that you're not learned in that field."

"Ha-hai!" I saluted and he frowned at me.

"What's with that gesture?" He asked.

I blinked and, realizing what I'm doing, put down my hands immediately and scratched my head. "Ah-hahahha, Gene said I should salute you."

He frowned again. "You need not do such a thing."

"Ehh, he said you like salutes as a response…" I tilted my head in wonder.

He sighed and muttered. "What's that brat doing again thinking such silly pranks…?"

I blinked. "Pranks…?"

He looked at me grimly. "Ignore everything else and just concentrate on the lesson for today. We will start on the history of Mathematics first and then I will let you solve simple problems before I'll teach the basics and the more complex nature of this branch. After, we would move on to History. You have been taught about your own history completely?"

"Y-yes…" _Uwahh so uptight…_

"We will discuss the history of other countries then," Lin-san said. "What other languages can you speak, write and read?"

"English…though my pronunciation isn't flawless…Ch-Chinese, Korean, a-a little of French…"

"I see," he nodded. "We'll have to hone your English pronunciation and equip you with French, German, Russian, Romanian, and so on. Davis-san is usually invited to Foreign-held parties, especially since he is a foreigner himself. It is inevitable for you to meet people who could not understand your language. Therefore, as an act of camaraderie, you would need to reach out first. So to speak, you need to learn different languages as much as your memory can take."

I gulped. _What a teacher…!_

"After all the lessons today, I would give an assessment in every subject," he went on. "I'll make you solve every problem similar to what I'll teach you how to solve in Math until you solve them all. We'll review on your knowledge of Japanese history and also quiz you about whatever country's history I'll be discussing today. Later on, I would test your fluency in the languages you know and the language I'm about to teach you now."

I gaped at him. _Th-this is…unbelievably insane! What a schedule!_

He took out a pocket watch and scrutinized it closely. He pursed his lips in a very unlikely manner. "With this kind of flow, I would have to give you a working dinner. No time must be wasted."

"W-working dinner?" I asked, bewildered, and my eyes widened.

"I will give lectures or tests while we eat dinner," he elaborated and I looked at him, stunned.

_How in-the-name-of-Naru's-lab-rat-Maggie are we going to do that? _

"Time must be spent efficiently," he stated at my gawking face. "The day of your school entrance exam is not far away. You must be trained how to discipline yourself during multi-tasking. And you would have to set your mind during such multi-tasking on which task you should concentrate on while the others supplement you in your work."

_Gene…should I say it's lucky that I don't feel any appetite for sleep right now…?_

_More like…I'll daren't fall asleep at all!_

I gulped and clapped on my cheeks. _And this is just the first day! I can do this!_

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

**OMNISCIENT**

The narcissist is sitting on his room's windowsill—as was and always has been his pastime. He was simply sketching random things on paper, resting his eyes from following through the books he'd read just that morning. He breathed the silent air. No Gene to pester him for now. Just him and his quiet little world. Gene went horseback riding around the grass fields surrounding the castle as his daily routine and Naru was left with nothing but a blissful afternoon without any disturbance in the world.

An image suddenly gripped his mind and he frowned.

"_**Paint you**?" He'd said earlier._

"_Yes, **paint me**, with the landscape you're painting now," Mai had said calmly._

Naru could not help the smirk forming his lips. _To paint her as an apology? _Why should he use his precious skills for that reason? _She should have even been thankful that I saved her from drowning in a little tub…_

He glared at nothing as a threatening lewd image struck his mind. There was a splashing sound and he realized he broke another fishbowl. _Good thing it's empty…_

He gazed at his sketching pad and thought for a moment. _Not that drawing her face is hard... _He smirked again. Unthinkingly, he turned his newly finished sketch over and started drawing the contours of her face on a new page.

It was like his hand was primed to trace her face, her image etched on his mind, and his fingers involuntarily moved fluidly in memorized strokes.

Only, it was the first time he drew her.

Every angle and every curve, he drew oh-so-perfectly. He examined his work after, satisfied—like a child praising his own artwork.

Then, he found himself frowning slightly and he placed his sketching pad on his lap, the sketch of Mai lying face-down.

"What am I doing?" He muttered to himself as he looked outside his window towards the vast afternoon sky.

He was never one of those who complied with someone's wishes or let anyone influence him enough to induce him to some sort of action. Even secretly, he had never allowed himself to be moved by silly folly.

But _**why**_ did he do just that?

He ran a hand through his hair. _What have I been doing these two days?_

He saw Gene materialize with a black horse below, the animal galloping with Gene in tow across the middle of the main courtyard and towards the third courtyard where the stables are located.

Naru glanced at the grandfather clock in his room.

His brother went back earlier than usual; Gene often rides his horse for more than two hours. What he does for such a long time is a mystery to Naru though—not that the narcissist minds. He saw Gene reappear again from the third courtyard and Naru remembered what Gene said a while before.

**

* * *

FLASHBACK**

"I'll be helping Mai study when Lin dismisses her," Gene said cheerfully when lunch ended. "How about you'll come later and assist me on teaching her, Noll?"

"No," Naru frowned. "Teach her yourself."

"Aw, come on, Noll," Gene pleaded. "It'll be more fun if we do it together. Besides, you'll need her company too. You have to soften up a bit."

"No means no, Gene," Naru glared. "And, aren't you supposed to like being alone with her?"

Gene scratched his head, looking away, embarrassed. "W-well…that's…"

Naru smirked at his twin's incomprehensible stammering.

**FLASHBACK ENDED**

* * *

A knock echoed to his room and Naru raised his eyebrow.

_Who is it again this time?_

It wasn't unusual that someone would be knocking on his door many times a day. That's why, oftentimes, he stuck himself in the attic. The maids treat it as a game for them to see if whoever knocks from one of them would result to him opening his door—and whoever makes him do that would win.

He'd been tricked to do it twice—both instances happened because he thought it was Gene. The next instances, he chose to open the door just to yell at them off. They had knocked relentlessly at his door and so he burst out. However, it seemed to have an opposite effect; they just giggled at him. So far though, they've never done it again.

The knock came again. Muttering under his breath about firing whoever's playing at him again, he threw the door wide open and readied himself to bawl.

He hid his sketching pad brusquely in a millisecond.

A flushed Mai fixed him a shy gaze. Her hands probably held together behind her back and her eyes looking away and back to him. She fidgeted at his frown.

"What is it?" Naru growled, narrowing his eyes. For some reason, just the thought of her 'adorableness' striking his mind as she squirmed in front of him made him particularly angry at the impossible-to-hate female figure. And, it was an unreasonable thing for him to be angry at something irrational.

"U-ummm…" She started, gulping, and Naru almost gulped too when she opened her luscious cherry-smeared-before lips.

Naru clenched his hands and glared at her more. _How come this female makes him feel and think peculiarly?_

"Grunt it out and stop your incomprehensible sounds or I will slam this door shut in front of your face," he grated out. Although he didn't mean it, he can't help feeling annoyed at how Mai can make him feel so indescribably different than usual.

She gasped and yet didn't respond except blushing deeper than ever. So, the narcissist motioned to seal shut his door.

"Please let me use your bathroom!" She squeaked, her right hand stopping the door from closing and her left hand clutching his right wrist.

"What?" Naru blinked at the oddity of her request.

She flushed scarlet and bowed low. "U-umm, please let me use your bathroom! Lin-sensei gave me only a little time so I can only go to the nearest room! Please I beg of you!"

He stared at the quivering girl.

"Can't you hold it?" Naru frowned. It is his nature to be stubborn.

"I-it's impossible!" She gawked at him with kitten-watery-eyes.

Naru looked away immediately as his breath hitched. _What is happening to me suddenly? _He opened his door wide, shrugging and not looking at her.

"Be sure to clean it well after and…get rid of the odor," he grumbled. "Put back everything in place and make it quick."

She nodded quickly, murmuring plenty thanks to him and rushed to his bathroom which he directed with his hand.

When she confined herself to his bathroom, Naru let out a heavy sigh and closed his door.

What was _**indeed**_ happening to him?

His breath never shortened when he's near _**anyone**_. And yet…yet that female contradicted natural occurrences and made a perhaps catastrophic phenomenon.

_**Does this mean that he's being soft?**_

He's not one to show kindness…Gene had pointed that out too.

Naru slumped on a chair in front of his architect's desk, making sure the sketching pad he lodged down on its surface does not reveal her sketched face.

She came out less than ten minutes after, a scent of orange blossoms wafted in the air. She blushed again at the sight of him, averting her caramel brown eyes anywhere but his way.

"I…t-thank you," she muttered loudly enough for Naru to hear and he just nodded his head, keeping his face as emotionless as possible.

She darted to his door and he willed himself not to stand up and stop her. It was another strange sensation for him. He'd never wished for anyone's presence.

She whirled around though and her face masked a curiosity he couldn't decipher.

"C-can you tell Gene…Naru-nii…t-that I can't come down for dinner?" She queried, her eyes widening in her own begging fashion again.

Naru cleared his throat and raised his eyebrow. "Why should I?"

"B-because L-Lin-san said I'll be having a working dinner…" She said, biting her lip nervously.

Naru gazed at her and thought about how she seemed to have forgotten her earlier fury for him. But then, he was not up to the job to remind her to be angry at him. The subject of her anger, after all, does not make him feel comfortable. So, in order for him not to go through haunting images of her again, he relented on doing her a favor.

"Fine," he answered and she gaped at him before smiling beautifully, bowing and thanking him simultaneously before skipping off to God-knows-where.

Naru sighed. Just when he had thought of keeping his kindness in check, he had just stretched out the limitations of his malleability.

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

Gene whistled a soft melodic tune as he entered the castle. Getting out of his riding boots, he slipped into his indoor slippers as flashes of Mai's smile invaded his thoughts.

He's attracted to her; he feels that. But then, he doesn't want to reach into conclusions immediately and surprise her (or scare her) with his feelings. They've only known each other for a few days. He doesn't want, whatever it is he feels, to become superficial when the time comes—something that comes in fast and leaves quickly also. If what he feels for Mai is something real, something sincere and not mere love-at-first-sight, he'll acknowledge those feelings and tell her.

But at that moment, he wants to take it easy. He wants to get to know more about her first, observe her actions, and examine her expressions.

_She's still my new younger sister after all…I shouldn't confuse my feelings as a brother and as something beyond…_

But then, as a younger brother, he needs to take care of her still. Even though, it seems like he's transcending the boundaries of a sibling.

But how will he approach her in a way that would not imply he thinks of her as something else rather than a younger sister? How could he hide these gushing feelings for her which are growing so fast?

He had never been a jealous person. But just seeing how naturally Noll shows all of his sides to Mai—a feat Noll rarely does unless he knows someone for a long time already—makes Gene uneasy and restless.

_Aren't I being so selfish? Feeling this way…_

He'd never wanted to acquire anything. The world for him is free. Whatever he needs, he can get it readily. But that was the material.

How about the _**immaterial**_?

_How about the needs of the heart?_

Gene stared at the door to his room for a moment, pondering.

_Do you need to feed the needs of a heart something that reciprocates it equally in order for someone to be happy and satisfied?_

_Or does making the heart continually in need of nourishment, its needs unrequited, can still make the heart happy and satisfied?_

Gene ruffled his hair in confusion. He was never an expert with the matters of the heart—more so, with the matters concerning a maiden's heart. He'd liked girls, acted to pursue them, yet never courted them. But then, that was because those girls would learn to like somebody else and Gene wouldn't want to get in the way of their authentic feelings for someone else.

But what about Mai? If she falls in love with somebody else than him, would he make way so easily just like he did for the other girls? Would he give up so easily so as not to hurt her?

But Gene knows if he did that, he would just be lying to himself. If Gene did that, then it goes to show that what he feels for her is inconsequential, something that can be easily discarded when unattained.

_I don't want to treat her feelings as something to possess…_

Gene sighed.

"How come I'm thinking of difficult things right now?" He muttered to himself. Another image of Mai popped in his mind and he placed a hand to his face, an act he does when he's embarrassed or blushing.

"Ahhh…this is bad, this is bad," he said to himself.

He was feeling strange when Mai isn't near him. It's as if something in him was seeking for her…missing her…

He remembered the day they met. It wasn't just three days ago actually. Gene has actually seen Mai even before that.

**

* * *

FLASHBACK**

It was mid-December and Gene, deciding to go out and buy sake for his father as a gift, went out of their new lovely abode to the streets of Japan. It was November when they first arrived at the place. His parents have always been thinking about moving to Japan where he was supposedly born. However, the war came and so the plan was halted for their safety.

It felt peculiar to live in a different country. Though Japan still has four seasons like England, he felt as if the snow in Japan is different to the snow in England even if all the snow came from the same ubiquitous atmosphere.

_I guess…it's because of the unfamiliarity…_

He took a piece of paper from his coat pockets and examined a map that Takigawa-san (who actually is an ex-monk and is usually referred to as Bou-san instead) had drawn out for him. It was quite exhilarating for him that Japan has so many narrow streets. It was like a maze to get lost to. One time he got lost and was overwhelmed to be swarmed by the girls at the Red Light Districts. That was an embarrassing experience for him. He had no map back then and only used familiar signs and shops to get back where he came from. This time though, he's going to be really careful.

He mounted inside the 2-wheeled rickshaw he had called for hours ago. Since Bou-san is taking precautions on using the horses at the stables so often during winter, Gene decided to use the supposedly jinrikisha instead. However, Gene made sure that the one pulling the carriage isn't human. He himself disapproves such hard labor for a human. It was like humans are like horses too at that point—a very dehumanizing thought. The man, who was probably going to pull the cart if Gene did not insist for a horse to do that instead, was on the horse's back when he arrived. Gene nodded silently and climbed up the carriage. He shivered as a swift winter breeze blew past him. A disadvantage of a jinrikisha is that, unlike the coach, it has no other coverings except the hood overhead.

Gene embraced himself slightly, his gloved hands rubbing his coat sleeves in a soothing fashion. Hopefully, there would be no blizzard that night.

It was a silent ride to town. Unlike England wherein the city would be bustling of present shopping, Japan is eerily uneventful. Gene felt as if it's only his family who celebrates Christmas in the country. Gene could see some wreaths though in front of shops, probably to satisfy foreign tastes for the occasion. But besides that, there were no Christmas lights or decorated pine trees.

Gene dropped half a dozen 500 yen coins on the jinrikisha man's hands, extraneous enough for the man's celebration with himself and his awaiting family besides whatever percentage he gets from the job. Gene got down the vehicle and traipsed the slightly slippery cobblestone steps. He placed his gloved hands inside his coat pockets and placed a navy blue hat on his head.

He stopped at the entrance of a narrow alleyway, pondering what route to take. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand grabbed his arm and some cloth was pushed over his head. He felt some hand clasp over his mouth and another punching his stomach.

HARD.

**

* * *

FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK**

Gene woke up with his hands tied behind his back and his vision obscured by what seemed to be a sack concealing his head. The sack was secured by something that's tied around his neck. He blinked twice, adjusting his eyes. He could see some dim light from the infinitesimal gaps of the sackcloth. It was like looking at the world through a lattice screen.

The room was empty except for a table with a broken leg. He tried to stand up and he groaned as pain shot through his stomach. He recalled being punched a while ago. Gene squinted his eyes in pain. _How long have I been out?_ There were no windows in the room he was held in. Good thing there were quite enough-sized holes in the sackcloth his head is in for ventilation.

He heard thudding footsteps and some struggling movement.

"L-let me go! Let me go you—" There was a gagging noise. The voice was clearly a girl's.

Gene gulped down, his throat quite dry. _What kind of place is this?_

Just then, he heard another voice in his head.

_Gene! Gene! Where are you? _—It was Noll's.

_Noll! How did you—?_

_I saw it, lady killer. Stay right there. We'll come and get you. _Gene could hear his twin smirk. It was a great feat that Noll could still be calm at that moment.

_You better—_

Gene's connection with Noll was cut off when the door to the dingy room opened and a girl was tossed to the floor near him. There was a stifled gasp and two brawny men stared down at the girl.

"Ya think ya can trick us, missy?" One of them snarled at the girl. "Next time ya go off, be sure to carry yar tail."

"Ya sure about this, Taka?" The other asked. "I guess we shouldn't have gotten a geisha-in-training ourselves. Our business might get too conspicuous."

"Who cares?" The first one replied. "As long as we get some yen on them slaves, nothin' else matters."

So they were going to be slaves. Gene frowned as the two men exited and slammed the door shut.

He heard a giggle and noticed the girl on the floor, laughing uncharacteristically.

"Who did they think failed on escaping?" There was a huff of pride. "They don't know what they got themselves into…"

Gene was impressed. The girl wasn't shivering or anything. She was probably younger than him by a year or so. With the help of the dim light, the girl's profile was illuminated as he gazed through the sackcloth. She was wearing a pink kimono. It has flower designs near the hems of her skirt and sleeves. A paler pink obi secured her bosom and waist. Her hair ornaments were set loose, her auburn hair disheveled, and some stray hairs sticking out. Whatever was left of her whitish face paint has already faded—from wiping or sweat probably. Despite the appearance, the girl sat up quite gracefully—quite a sight for a slave-to-be.

Just then, she shifted her gaze to him, his head in sackcloth and all. And, Gene heard the sweetest laugh he'd ever encountered. He blinked his eyes in wonder.

"Do I look handsome enough?" Gene kidded and the girl giggled pleasantly. Somehow, he sounded more like Noll.

"Yeah, you do, alright," She agreed, nodding mirthfully. Now that Gene could see her face closely (despite the barring sackcloth), he could not help but think how attractive she is even without the whitish face paint a geisha or rather a maiko like her would wear. In fact, despite their adversity at the moment, she looked more vibrant than any of those girls he'd seen so often when he toured the town. She has her hands behind her back too. "Are you going to be shipped too?"

_Shipped? _Gene shrugged. "Most probably. I was caught unaware."

Mai gave a weak smile. "I see…Me too."

It was quite intriguing that a girl who is kidnapped and supposedly going to be brought to the slave trade would be quite calm.

Gene examined the young lady and could not help but notice the gracefulness of which she held herself even when her hands are tied behind her back. She sat with her back perfectly arched. Her eyes looked at the door with such determination to break free. As though she noticed him staring, she gazed his way and smiled, not a weak one but a genuine one this time.

"There's nothing to worry about though. We'll get out of here."

Curious, Gene raised his eyebrow although his wonder could not be seen. "How can you be so sure of that?"

The girl smiled and pulled out her hands from behind her and Gene just stared at the strips of rope now shown to him. It was obviously cut by something. What that something is, he wouldn't know. But Gene knew one thing though: this young lady is capable of anything.

"We'll get us out of here," she smiled.

She came near him and untied the rope. She looked at him oddly after.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Won't you take off the sack on your head?" She asked in wonder and Gene let out a laugh.

"I think not."

"I see." The girl nodded.

Gene had actually thought that if he took off the sack and let his face be shown, the kidnappers might remember him and perhaps in the future would be able to trace him and his family and create a greater mayhem than he could think of. To think that he's not the only one who have a face like his…

The girl was still staring at him oddly. Gene could not help but be amused at the brave girl.

"Is it weird to speak to a person with a sack for a head?" Gene quipped and the girl laughed sweetly.

"It is…funny…" She admitted adorably. "But then, you have your reasons. For all I know, you might be a government official's son and being kidnapped like this would probably cause so many ruckuses for your family…"

Gene smiled. "So, what's the escape plan?"

"We'll have to crawl our way out," she said confidently.

"Crawl as in 'crawl'?" Gene asked, enthused.

She nodded her head.

"Are you sure about that?" Usually, girls Gene knew would swoon over such an idea. All of them cannot even fathom themselves rolling over mud.

"Yes," she smiled as if it was the most wonderful thing to do. "The reasons that I let myself get caught while supposedly escaping was for me to observe the surroundings first and search for the escape routes. If I got out immediately, it would seem as if I'm not as weak as I pretended to be and that would only make things worse. They might catch me again and export me immediately."

Gene stared at the girl in astonishment. _Not weak as she pretended to be? What does this girl do to think like that?_

"So…where are we going to crawl?"

She stood up and began to feel for something on the floor. When she stopped, Gene noticed her fingers gripping at the sides of a floorboard and lifting it up. There was a dug hole underneath that probably leads to outside of that place. It probably took a long time to be built. Perhaps, one of the kidnapped people before did it.

"How did you notice that?" Gene asked in amazement.

"It creaks differently when you step on it," she said, now gripping off the other floorboards to show the expanse of the hole that was dug up.

"You seemed used to this thing," Gene could not help but comment. _So that's why she's not nervous…_

"This…wasn't the first time…" She said slowly and Gene didn't dare make her elaborate.

"Where does this hole lead to?"

"It leads to the backyard. We're actually in a worn shack. There are bushes around the hole so it wasn't seen easily."

"You haven't gotten out through this yet?" Gene was slightly astonished as she nodded.

She shook her head and pointed to the door. "I unlocked that door myself and made out quietly. I looked for the hole outside. I had to be sure it is an escape route. I saw that it is."

Gene blinked. "It seems like you expected it…"

She shrugged. "I…just feel it is possible…But I had to see for myself…"

_But just seeing the hole from the outside isn't enough to know that it is the same hole that leads to the hole inside… _Gene pondered deeply to himself. It was as if the girl knew it all along…as if she came through the hole all along that's why she only needed to find where the hole outside is in order to be sure. But how she could know it was the same hole when she was not even dirtied—not really looking as if she crawled out—was a great mystery to Gene. He didn't voice out his thoughts though.

She looked at Gene, waiting. Gene smiled, though unseen. "You should go first."

"Are you sure?" She was stunned.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You found the hole first; you should go first."

She smiled and nodded.

**

* * *

FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK**

It was a silent and patient crawling. Gene felt as if he's a mole looking for treasures underneath the soil. When they saw the moonlight streaming in, though, they hastened their pace immediately. When they got out, panting and breathing heavily, they gave out stifled laughs.

Just then, a horse whinnied and Gene turned at the familiar sound.

"Oh no, they noticed! Let's run!" The girl paled and dashed, to Gene's amazement, in her kimono.

"Wait! It's not what you—!"

"Gene!" He heard Noll call and he halted from chasing her.

His brother went out the coach and smirked at his sack-head.

"What kind of game are you playing, lady killer?" Noll asked and Gene frowned.

"Help me get it off fast, idiot scientist!"

Noll shrugged, not liking the idea of being ordered. But knowing Gene's tone of urgency, he did as he was told.

They were standing beside a road. Gene looked for the girl's retreating figure in the distance. He wanted to thank her by inviting her to his home. He noticed the rocky road she's running unto and thought about the heavy garment she's burdened with as she ran. She was far away now though and Gene could only stare at the girl's retreating figure as it disappeared when it turned a corner.

But, despite her disappearance, the memory of her was an unforgettable Christmas gift.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

* * *

That was four months ago. Since then…Gene has always thought of her…That's why almost every day, then, he searched for her. Lying that roaming around the streets of the unfamiliar Japan has become his new frolicking habit, he mustered every wide and narrow alleyway just in case he'll spot her somewhere and so he may be able to thank her personally. He wanted to see her badly. He could not help but worry that she might have been caught again and finally brought to the slave trade.

How relieved he was when he saw her again just on that lovely Saturday that had passed!

He remembered the smile she gave when he saved her that day. He almost covered his face again but he stopped and looked at his hands. He'd probably covered his face a lot of times for Mai to wonder at such gesture.

He knows very well that he can't go on obviously like that.

_Noll has already noticed too…_

He needs to compose himself and act naturally in front of Mai. Not to be someone else entirely though but to act as the usual Gene. Just act as himself and yet not showing any signs of being _**smitten**_ with her.

_That means no covering of face when embarrassed and simply staring away…?_

It was going to be an inner battle with himself.

_Would that really be okay?_

He entered his room and decided to play a tune.

And perhaps…compose something for Mai that would at least heal his unnerving heart.

**END OF OMNISCIENT**

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

I ate from the platters of sushi before me with great joy despite the fact that I'm in the middle of memorizing a complex language.

"What is good night in Romanian?" Lin-sensei asked as he drank his tea.

I gulped a salmon roe. "Noapte buna."

"How do you address a group of boys?" He quizzed.

"Ei." He motioned for me to eat a shrimp sushi.

"Group of girls?"

"Ele." He pointed at an unagi sushi and I placed it in my plate as a standby.

"Group of old men?"

"Ei," I replied and he frowned.

He pointed at a wasabi sushi and I almost choked.

"I-It wasn't 'Ei'?" I looked at him aghast and at the wasabi sushis on my plate drearily.

"It is 'dumneavoastră' no matter what gender as long as it's a group of elders," he gestured at the wasabi sushi again and I sighed miserably.

_It's the twentieth wasabi sushi! _

I wept silently for the future sore tongue and nose.

_So this is the purpose of the dozen platters of sushi!_

"Moving on to Mathematics," he slid a few pages of worksheets to me. "Solve all of this before…"

He tipped an hourglass on the table beside our adjacent ones.

"…all the sands in this hourglass has fallen completely."

I nodded and took my pencil immediately. _After this, I'll be free!_

…

…_._

…_.._

…...

…_..._

…_..._

…...

…_..._

_!_

I surrendered after a while though and Lin-sensei breathed a long sigh.

"There are some major and minor errors but none that can't be worked upon with time," he said and gave me handful sheets of paper.

I gaped at him.

"It's your homework," he frowned slightly.

I made an inner sigh. I skimmed through the pages and found out some historical reading assignments, guide questions, math problems, foreign languages' grammar basics to be memorized, some foreign languages' vocabulary tests, and a few more foreign words to memorize.

_Would I still be able to sleep with all of these things to finish?_

"Finish your sushi," Lin–sensei said, pointing at more than a dozen wasabi sushis that correspond to my mistakes and I could only incline my head a little as I responded a feeble 'Yes.'

**

* * *

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

**OMNISCIENT**

"So Mai's not coming down, huh?" Gene said halfway through dinner.

Gene had been tempted to blurt it out earlier but Naru was very much occupied with his food. Or rather, Naru acted _**very much occupied**_. Gene knew his younger brother was simply waiting for him to speak. Naru was never the one who initiates conversation.

"She said Lin's giving her a working dinner," Naru replied tersely and Gene blinked.

"Lin's not missing his beat as usual," Gene commented.

"I guess," Naru replied and Gene sighed.

Naru was never the talkative one unless you engage him in an argument or ask him an informative talk.

"I guess Mai could heal that…" He had thought out aloud, contradictory to his liking, and involuntarily put a hand to his face again. "Ahh…"

Naru frowned at him. "Heal what?"

"Nothing, idiot scientist," Gene smiled mysteriously and Naru glared.

"Don't start," Naru warned.

"Oh, I won't," Gene grinned wider and Gene's glass of orange juice almost tipped over if Gene did not catch it and revert it back to its position in time. "O-to!"

Naru smirked, satisfied.

"Hey, that's unfair!" Gene pouted.

"Your glass's center of gravity simply misaligned with its base, Gene," Noll explained hypothetically.

"_**You**_ made it misalign, Noll," Gene frowned.

"Maybe. But I can't be the gravity that pulls it down."

"Mentally, you can," Gene sighed. "Really, you can be reckless at times."

Naru grunted disapprovingly. Gene smiled.

They finished their dinner solemnly and ordered a thermostat of hot chocolate to be brought after in Gene's room where they always have their silent commune before going to bed.

"So…" Gene started as he opened the door to his room. "Have you considered on helping me teach her?"

Naru frowned. "I already told you I won't."

"Why not?" Gene raised his eyebrow.

Naru looked away. "I've got something to do."

It was Gene's time to frown. "What something? Reading? Painting? You always do those things every day, Noll. Can't you just help me on this one for a change?"

Naru glared and Gene stared at him seriously—the latter's expression completely emotionless.

Naru sighed after a few glowering seconds. Gene seldom shows his serious and completely emotionless face that mirrors his own. And Gene only uses it when he thinks there's a dire and desperate need to do so. Although, what makes Gene so desperate is lost to Naru; his older twin can be pretty unreadable when strong-willed about something.

Naru gazed at Gene, shrugging. "Fine. I'll try."

Gene broke into a radiant smile. "That's more like it, Noll."

The head butler, carrying with him the fat thermostat, mugs, and strawberry mochis the twins love, arrived with a trolley cart as usual. The old man, though, vanished as fast as he came.

"I'm thinking of taking Mai horseback riding during lunch the day after tomorrow, Noll," Gene informed. "How about coming with us? We can have a picnic on the wide meadow by the small stream."

"You really get hyped up with silly leisure," Naru sipped his hot chocolate.

"Well, time is precious, brother," Gene smirked as Naru put down his mug. "We should be glad to have an extended vacation before we enter a new school. The three of us needs to stick together too."

Naru glanced at Gene's unveiled grand piano. "You've been composing?"

Gene glanced at the instrument. "Yeah. Some things came to me."

"What's the title now?" Naru smirked. "Last time you made a ridiculous tune and you called it 'Cat and Frog farting.' "

Gene's smile widened. "I think I've made something quite sentimental this time."

"Your sentiments are ludicrous," Naru said.

"It's called—"

A knock sounded and they both stared at Gene's rosewood door.

Nobody let out a breath.

Another knock came.

Still, nobody spoke.

And another. Gene motioned to stand but Naru halted him with an arm.

"It might be the foolish maids," Naru warned and Gene raised his eyebrow.

"That's—"

"Um, Gene…?" Mai's voice reverberated in the room and the twins froze.

The twins looked at each other's eyes, somehow battling.

_Go open the door, lady killer_—Naru shot.

_No, YOU do it, idiot scientist_—Gene gritted his teeth.

_This is YOUR room so YOU usher her in_—Naru pointed out.

"Um, Gene…? Are you there?" Mai's voice rang out again and Gene sighed. It was rude to make a lady wait long. However, he didn't budge from his seat.

Gene cleared his throat. "Yes, Mai?"

"Umm…I came to ask you to teach me on something…"

Gene gazed at Naru suggestively and the Narcissist just shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, come in, Mai," Gene uttered.

Naru and Gene, unapparently remedying their dry throats and lips, sipped their hot chocolate as Mai entered.

"Umm, where should I sit?" Mai asked.

The twins choked on their hot chocolate as they saw Mai.

_S-she's—_Gene's thoughts were running amok.

—_wearing a negligee!—_Naru's thoughts were in chaos.

**XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

**

* * *

A/N: Muahahahahahahaha I'm so evil lol Let's see if the boys can control themselves! *insert cackling laughs*Anyway, I don't know when I'll update but I will REALLY try to update fast! Sorry for taking so long! T_T**

**The next chapter is entitled 'Drift.' I'm halfway through the next chap so don't you all worry ^^ Judging from it, I might finish it within two weeks (yes, I know it's still a long wait but school is really a time-occupant). I hope you enjoyed this chapter ^^ If you have any questions, please post it as a review so I could be notified in my e-mail. As before, I would answer SOME questions but not all ^^**

**Oh yeah I was going to click Naru/Mai/Gene but then there's only two slots! :( So, I stuck with the Naru/Mai :) But yeah, wouldn't it be too funny if I ACCIDENTALLY clicked Naru/Gene? LOL**


	4. Side Story

**A/N: This is just a side story. It is not related to the main plot. The next chapter is the real Chapter 4.**

* * *

"Nollll~ What are you doing?" a standing four-year-old Gene chirped to his younger brother.

Not even looking up through his ebony fringe, Noll turned the page of his _Anthology of Ghost Stories_ with his pale small hands. "I'm reading. Isn't it obvious?"

Gene pouted at Noll, who was sitting under and against a ripening apple tree. "I can see that. But won't you come with me to play with the others? If we get to know them, they won't be pumpkins anymowe, right?"

"It's 'anymore.'" Noll narrowed his eyes and looked up finally. "Also, pumpkins are pumpkins, Gene. We're apples, so pumpkins would never understand apples!"

Gene made a moue. "Buuuuttt, pumpkins and wapples taste great when they're put together in a pwie."

"Whatever." Noll pursed his lips and resumed perusing. "Go and play with them all you want. I'm just going to read, so leave me alone."

Gene knobbed his hands and flushed in adorable anger. "Fine! That's why you're called a hwermit!"

He then stomped back to the sandy playground where other children slid on slides, hung on monkey bars, and swung on swings.

_It's 'hermit,' _Noll corrected in his mind.

Just shrugging, he turned the page of his book again. It was the first thing he'd accepted from the donations brought to the home. The binding was torn in places, and some pages were threatening to fall out. Scribbles and squiggles with pencils and crayons adorn most of it, but it was readable amidst the chaos.

A strong breeze passed by, and the tree leaves rustled with the swaying branches. The pages of Noll's book crisply flapped to the left as though turning its pages by itself. Then, the wind brought a whimpering and weeping sound. The branch above Noll shook, and an apple detached from its stem and fell on his head.

"Wha━!" Noll bent his head in pain, and he massaged the aching spot. Involuntarily, tears were in the corners of his eyes. Subsequently he scrunched his eyes shut and rubbed the eye drops away.

_I should have sat under the fig tree!_

The sobbing sounds became louder, and Noll realized that it actually came from overhead. Curious, he gazed at the branch above him and stared at a girl in her late teens.

"You're already big, yet you're still crying?" Noll remarked haughtily, and the crying stopped.

The girl took her face off her hands and blinked at him. She was wearing a white polo shirt and pink skirt. Her hair was black like his, but only longer. With teary emerald eyes, she regarded him with wonder and astonishment for a moment before sniffling and smiling.

"It's not only small ones who can cry," she answered sadly.

Noll scowled. "I don't cry, but most children of my age do."

The girl nictated and then chuckled.

"What is so funny?" Noll loured.

The girl shook her head. "Hmm, you're quite a strong child."

Noll smirked. "Naturally, of course."

The girl laughed again, and Noll inquired, "Why were you crying?"

He forgot his beloved book on his lap already.

The girl stopped snickering, peered at him for a while, and lifted a corner of her mouth desolately. "I...couldn't find my racket."

Noll raised an eyebrow. "Just because of that? How childish."

The girl blinked once more and chortled. "Haha! A child telling me I'm childish! Ahh, how refreshing!"

_Is she wrong in the head? _Noll pondered and glared. "I'm not a child. I'm a _**mature individual**_."

Noll proudly placed a knobbed hand to his chest.

The girl guffawed and clutched her stomach.

"What? Stop laughing!" Noll scolded.

"Sorry, sorry!" she said in between laughs. "It's just that it's the first time I'd talked to a child like you."

"I already told━"

"Yes, yes." She nodded and beamed. "You're not a child."

Noll blinked, paled, and looked away. "That's right."

He was pleased, but he's stubborn to admit it.

"It was very important to me," the girl explained.

"What is?"

"The missing racket. It's something precious to me."

Noll was silent before responding, "Buy a new one that's identical to it, then."

She shook her head. "There's nothing identical to it. It was custom made."

Noll squinted his eyes at her. "Forget about it then. Remembering the sentiment is enough."

The girl ogled at him with keen interest. "What's your name?"

Noll didn't reply.

"I'm Catherine. Nice to meet you," she persisted.

Noll furrowed his brows. "You shouldn't give your names to strangers."

She nictated and laughed again. "Indeed! How roles changed!"

Noll sighed. "You laugh a lot, yet you're crying because of a racket."

The girl curved the corners of her lips upward. "Everyone cries when they lose something very important to them."

"I doubt I'll cry."

The girl just smiled. "Won't you help me find it?"

"No," he said crossly. "It's troublesome. I'd rather read a book."

"Then, won't you come and read under this tree again tomorrow?" she suggested, and Noll frowned.

"I don't make promises to strangers," he quipped. "Don't speak now, and let me continue reading peacefully."

He resumed his perusal, but he somehow didn't dislike the hovering girl who's also poring over what he's reading.

**XDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~**

* * *

**A/N: And that's how Noll met the "Wimbledon woman." Since I couldn't really think of anything to replace the teaser, I decided to write about what Naru and Gene were like when they're kids! Ahhh how adorable they can be!**


End file.
